Feast of the Holy Innocents – 1 John 1:5-2:2; Matthew 2:13-18

In God there not even a crumb of evil

Another day of reading John’s letter. This time I read at the beginning:

God is light; there is no darkness in him at all.

I think I understand. He is all righteousness, all goodness. There is not even a crumb of evil in Him. If sometimes it seems to me that He’s taking a day off, taking revenge on me, tormenting me or playing with me, then it’s just my fear. He’s not like that. Even if the path of my life leads through a dark valley, even if there are downpours and storms followed by foul weather, He still walks with me. Like a most faithful companion.

I read on and I feel like I’m finding a contradiction: to be with Him, must I not sin, but at the same time, must I not deny that I am a sinner? However, I think I have a feeling about what’s going on. To always be on the way. To avoid becoming complacent; out of habit, that I’m a walking ideal not to “be inconsequential”; to stop assuming that whatever I do is always good and right.

Yes, I have seen it. It’s straining out the gnat and swallowing the camel. Paying attention to the little things, and not noticing the basic issues. . . Pride, greed, impurity, envy, gluttony (not only for food), anger and simply laziness. . . God protect me from this. Open my heart, open my eyes. . .

Good God, You accompany me in the hardships and adversities of my calling in life. May they always strengthen my trust in You, so that I may say, as Saint Paul said about himself, that I am a good soldier of Christ. Amen.

Almighty and merciful Father, You see how the culture of death in this world deceives people into committing dark and often hidden acts of evil against children and innocents. The children killed and maimed in human violence, the children abused by those they should be able to trust, the unborn who have been killed in their millions. May we be able to comfort You by our hatred for these sins that the very stones cry out, and our prayers for those who commit or fail to oppose these crimes against humanity and Your gift of life. Let us all endeavour to open the eyes of the blind to these tragedies. We ask You for courage and wisdom. We ask this Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.