Thursday 2 January 2025

Today is Thursday the 2nd of January, the feast of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, in the 1st week of Christmastide. The community of Taizé sing, Jésus le Christ: ‘Jesus Christ, inner light, do not let my darkness speak to me. Jesus Christ, inner light, let me welcome your love.’ Jésus le Christ, lumière intérieure, ne laisse pas mes ténèbres me parler. Jésus le Christ, lumière intérieure, donne-moi d'accueillir ton amour. Today’s reading is from the First Letter of John. 1 John 2:22-28 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life. I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming. You don’t need to imagine an antichrist with horns and hooves to know that there is much in our world that can draw us away from God. This part of John’s letter assumes that those who hear it want to remain close to, to abide in, Christ. If you’re listening to this prayer, you’re among that number. You might start by telling Christ why it is that you want to remain close to him. John speaks of “what you heard from the beginning” as the foundation of your faith. If someone said to you: “What is it that you heard from the beginning of your life as a disciple of Christ?”, how would you reply? Despite the challenges, John speaks of confidence at the end of this passage. As you listen again, try and see why that confidence is important for him, and for you. You might like to finish this prayer by asking that you will always be able to abide in Christ, to be close to him. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.