The Daily Word
Hear the Daily Word on
Get the Daily Word in Your Inbox!
Testing the Spirits
St. John encourages the people to not trust every spirit because not every one of them is from God. I think we can relate to this in our own lives. Sometimes when we are faced with a situation we might have a gut feeling that something’s not right and that it should not be happening in that way. We have an internal moral radar, one that leads us towards good and away from evil (our conscience) and we must use it along with the grace of God to “test the spirits.” But how? Keep reading for the full reflection.
“Beloved, do not trust every spirit
but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”1 John 4:1
In his letter, St. John tells the people to not trust every spirit but rather to test them. As Christians we are familiar with the term “spirit.” We speak of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. We also read in Genesis that God breathed into man the very breath or spirit of life — His own Spirit. But we also need to know that there are spirits that are not from God; there are evil and bad spirits. So, how do we test the spirits?
St. John tells us that if the spirit acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh then it belongs to God, but if it does not, then it does not belong to God. In other words what do these spirits do within our hearts? Do they lead us towards faith or do they lead us towards distrust in God? Do they lead us towards hope or do they lead us towards despair and shame? Do they lead us towards love or do they lead us towards selfishness and hate? If the spirit leads us to God and moves us to do what the Lord has commanded of us then it is from God. And if we come to discern that there are spirits that do not lead us towards God then we must reject them, literally. If there is a spirit within you that makes you feel, “I am not worthy of love,” it is not from God, and so you must say out loud, “I reject the lie and spirit that tells me I am unworthy of love!” We must test the spirits and reject and denounce them if necessary.
Over time we will know if those spirits were truly from God by the fruits that will have been produced. In the meantime we must continue to pray for the grace of a discerning heart so that we might come to embrace the Spirit of God and denounce the spirit of the Enemy.
Wonder of the Star
Today we celebrate the visit of the Magi to the newborn King. The word “epiphany” really means “manifestation of God to man.” So today we really celebrate the manifestation of God to not just the Jewish people, but to all peoples of all nations as represented by the Magi. God has come close to us so that we might dare to draw close to Him. And it was upon a star that the Magi wondered and which led them to Christ. What was so special about that star? Keep reading for the full reflection.
“They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.”Matthew 2:10-11a
What stirs and provokes wonder in your hearts and minds? Have you ever seen, heard, or felt something that took your breath away? What was it? How did it make you feel? When the Magi saw the star in the sky they followed it all the way to Jerusalem to ask Herod where this newborn king can be found. The Magi were educated and learned people and perhaps they studied and observed the sky for some time, so seeing stars was probably no extraordinary thing. But yet when they saw this star (some say it’s a comet or some other celestial body) they were intrigued and fascinated to the point where they set out and followed it. This star was what provoked wonder in the hearts and minds of the Magi, but not just the star itself, but what the star represented and to whom its light led.
The Scriptures tell us that the Magi were “overjoyed at seeing the star,” and in the Greek, the translation is “having seen the star, they rejoiced with great joy exceedingly.” There is this overflowing joy not because of the intense brightness of the star but because the light of the star has finally led them to the place where the One whom they were looking for can be found. The Magi were overjoyed and rejoiced with great joy because they knew once they went into the place, their eyes will see something and someone that will forever change their lives. The light of the star led the Magi to the Light of the World.
Wonder moved the Magi to action, and this action led them to Christ. Brothers and sisters, does the presence of Our Lord spark wonder in our hearts? If so, do we simply admire and ponder from afar, or are we so moved that we journey towards Him? With the Incarnation God journeyed towards us so that now we may journey towards Him. And brothers and sisters, I promise you, that when you do allow this wonder to move you on a journey, you will find a peace and joy you’ve never experienced before because that which you are journeying towards is Joy and Peace and Love and Life itself. May we always allow the wonder of the star to move us to be led by the light of the star so that we might come to find the Light of the World.
From the altar piece Adoration of the Magi, 1423, Gentile da Fabriano
Who is Mary?
Happy New Year! Today the Church celebrates the final day of the Octave of Christmas and also Mary, who is the Mother of God. Although most Catholics don’t think twice about it, how can we say that Mary is the Mother of God? This has been a topic of dispute for a long time in the Church’s history. That is why for non-Catholics, it seems as if Catholics worship Mary, but that is not the case. Worship is due to God alone, but Catholics do venerate and honor Mary, the Mother of Jesus. So, who is Mary? Keep reading for the full reflection.
“And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.”Luke 2:19
Who is Mary? She is the mother of Jesus and hence the Mother of God. For Catholics this title of Mary is very common and makes sense, but it has been a source of conflict over the years. The argument was that how could we say God, who is eternal, have a mother? It didn’t make sense to some people. But if we look closely, since Mary is the mother of Jesus, and Jesus is the only begotten Son of God who was with the Father from the beginning, and who too is fully divine, then indeed we can Mary is the Mother of God. And Our Lord gave His Mother to us on the Cross.
So, who is Mary? She is the Mother of God, yes, but she is also the first and perfect disciple of Jesus. As we read in the Gospel, Mary is one who reflects. Mary is one who receives from the Holy Spirit; one who says “yes,” and one who leads us and points us to Christ. In being the Mother of God, Mary shows us the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. Although the name of this solemnity is attributed to Mary, it is really about Jesus. Mary’s entire life points to Christ. In acknowledging and declaring that Mary is the Mother of God, the Church is really affirming the teaching on Jesus’ divinity, that while being fully man, Jesus is also fully God.
It was in receiving from the Holy Spirit, that Mary was able to respond and to act. Mary shows us that before we can do anything — however good or charitable — we first must receive. Receive what? The love and grace of God. We must receive in order to give, and Mary shows us that. She receives not for herself as St. Paul shows in his letter to the Galatians, but rather for us! So that we might come to become the children of God by sharing in the Sonship of Christ. All that Mary does stems from her relationship with God and it is always moved by love and always for others. May we follow her example so that our lives too may always point to Christ, her Son.
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!
