January 3, 2011
Lectionary
1 John 3:22 – 4:6:
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
Life
Today is the feast day of St. Genevieve of Paris. She was born to wealthy parents in Gaul, near Paris, around 422. The local Bishop recognized when she was a young child that she would become a great spiritual leader. When she was very young, she and a group of nuns prayed that Paris would be spared as Attila the Hun approached. The Huns chose not to sack Paris. Later in life, as a nun, a number of miracles and mystical insights were attributed to her. In the middle ages, she became the patron saint of wine makers.
Prayer
May his Name remain for ever and be established as long as the sun endures;
may all the nations bless themselves in him and call him blessed.
Blessed be the Lord GOD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous deeds!
And blessed be his glorious Name for ever! and may all the earth be filled with
his glory. Amen. Amen. (Ps. 72:17-19)