LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS - 12/31/22 (The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas)

John 1:1–5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/123122.cfm

Blessed Saturday! As we are hours before the New Year, some of us are thinking of our "New Year resolutions." These are the things we are hoping to change or do for the coming year. As we reflect on the gospel reading for the last day of this year, we can see that God truly desires for us to make resolutions with the purpose of being closer to Him. Jesus Christ is the light of light of the world. And, this light shines in the darkness. For us to have better resolutions, it is important for us to be aware of the darkness in our lives. What are our sins and imperfections? What are our tendencies that lead us to offending God? We won't be able to know this unless we beg for God's graces through our prayer. Let's spend time reflecting on our sins every night, and may this be one of our resolutions for next year, so that we may be able to ponder more on ourselves. Through this, we can see what God's will is in our lives and how we can be more pleasing to Him by having knowledge of ourselves. 

In the gospel reading, it also says that darkness has not overcome the light. It's not just enough for us to be aware of our sins and the resolutions we need to do in order to avoid them. At the same time, we need the light of Christ right now for us to not be overcome by darkness. This is where God calls us to have a stronger prayer life. Though it's good for us to pray and beg for forgiveness after we commit sin, we should also make sure that at the moment of temptations, we will always turn to God to reject them. What do we do when we are tempted to commit sin? What do we do when there are many occasions of sins around us that entice us to commit lust and other wrong deeds? What do we do when we feel that anger slowly in our hearts? God is calling us to depend on Him always because the devil cannot and will never overcome our Lord. By having a good prayer routine, we will be more protected from temptations. Besides this, it's also good to reflect on the Scriptures everyday. How can we deepen our knowledge of Jesus, the living Word of God, if we do not reflect on the written Word of God? These are the means by which we can see the light of Christ that will guide us in our spiritual journey. 

Lastly, Jesus Christ is not just our light. He is also our Life. He is the source of eternal life. The light doesn't just guide us and help us see the darkness in our lives. The light of Christ also banishes the darkness in our souls. To receive the light of Christ more, God is inviting us to deepen our sacramental life as well. It's because the sacraments are the vessels of God's graces and mercy, especially the sacrament of confession and the Mass. How often do we go to the sacrament of confession? Let's remember that through this sacrament, our hearts become cleansed from all sins, both venial and mortal sins. Even if we have not committed grave sins, we may realize the small faults that we still fall into. This is why it's pleasing to God for us to practice frequent confession such as going to the sacrament of confession once every month or once every two weeks. It helps us to be more humble and to have the strength in order to do God's will more. Below this reflection, there is a link to examination of conscience and guide to confession which will be helpful for us. May we also remember that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist in the Mass. By receiving Him, we will become united with Jesus in the closest way possible here on earth. Through the Eucharist, we are becoming more transformed into Himself and into His light. In Jesus, we have the perfect fulfillment of our life because He is the light of the world and the salvation of mankind. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Saint Sylvester I, Pope—Optional Memorial:

https://sanctoral.com/en/saints/saint_sylvester.html

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth