+(Intro) Again this morning we will hear from St John of the importance of loving one another. Let us then, pause a moment to own our failures to truly love one another.
(After the gospel) Our gospel is filled with mystery, perhaps fitting for the season. A star leading three wise men to a crib is not unlike the disciples seeing Jesus walking on the sea. Thinking they were seeing a ghost, they cried out and were terrified. But then he tells them not to be afraid and gets into the boat with them and the wind died down. Turmoil dies down when Jesus draws close to us.
Jesus was giving them as he gives to us a whole new way of seeing what is happening all around us. The way we know how to remain in him and he in us is through his Spirit that is given us. We too, get tossed about by events that come into our lives but as we acknowledge Jesus’ presence and know that he is the Son of God, all becomes calm.
Coming to know and believe in the love God has for us opens a whole new world of its own, all around us. And as we resist letting our hearts to become hardened, we are empowered to remain in God’s love and know that God remains in us.
1 John 4:11-18; Mark 6:45-52