Knowing God

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Tuesday, Octave of Christmas, December 29th, 2020

Texts: 1John 2:3-11; Ps. 96:1-6; Luke 2:22-35

Knowledge of something either leads to repulsion or love. When it comes to God it is different because the more we know Him the more we want to know Him. Our knowledge of God makes us to love Him the more because he is goodness Himself. St. John expresses it thus: "God is light and in him is no darkness at all" (1John 1:5).  Today's first reading links Knowing God with keeping His commandments. This means no one knows God and will not be attracted to him; the more will know Him the closer will become to Him and willing to obey Him. Man's unwillingness to keep God's commandments is the manifestation of his ignorance of God. To know God is to believe in Him and to keep His commandments. For St. John faithfulness to God's commandments is a test of one's claim to knowledge of Jesus Christ. Hence, St. John, in today's first reading, says, "By this we may be sure we know Jesus Christ, if we keep his commandments. He who says, 'I know him' but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected." 

Today's gospel reading gives us example of Virgin Mary and Joseph as persons who observed God's commandments. It is said of them thus: "When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord') and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord". This shows that Virgin Mary and Joseph know God. For us the commandments of Jesus Christ is to love one another as He loves us (John 15:12). He loves us and gave Himself for us (John 15:13), so giving of self to the other is what he requires from us.

St. John, in the first reading, also reminds us that following the footsteps of Jesus Christ is the mark of our being in Him. We are in Him when we follow His footsteps. St. John puts it this way: "By this we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked."

Another point raised by St. John in the reading is love of one's neighbours as the manifestation of one's union with God, the light. He says, "He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and in it there is no cause for stumbling." 

In summary, St. John has successfully reminded us that the fruits of our union with Jesus Christ are faithfulness to his commandments, following his footsteps and loving our neighbours. Those are the fruits God seeks in us as His beloved children and brothers and sisters of His Son.

Lord our God, grant that the joy of Your Son's birth in the flesh may move us to  love our neighbours, keep His Commandments, and follow His footsteps. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke