While Jesus was teaching his disciples that he had to die, they were more concerned with who among them was the greatest. Jesus pointed out this disconnect and challenged them: ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’
Jesus told his disciples that in difficult times that were coming, they should not prepare how to defend themselves. The Spirit would give them the words they would need. In the same way, sometimes we need to empty our own hearts of the words we have prepared to say and let God speak through us.
Jesus told his disciples that they are to be the salt of the earth and lamps on a lampstand. Thus, we are called to bring the light of Christ to everyone around us that is struggling with darkness, or to allow others to shine their light on us if we are in darkness.
Jesus told his followers that if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. He did not want us to take this literally, but he does want us to take it seriously, and to ltry to let go of the things that lead us into sin.
On the night before he died, John's Gospel tells us that Jesus left his disciples with words of comfort, faith, hope, promise, and affirmation. These words can bring us comfort in our afflictions today.
John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. But, as lambs are both peaceful and sacrificed, we ask that God might give us peace in the face of the challenges we will find in this coming year.
When asked who he was, John the Baptist answered by citing his relationship to Jesus. As Christians, we are also invited to find our identity in Jesus.
Jesus tells us to stay awake, for we know not the day nor the hour when God will call us home. But we know when that happens we will have a chance to be reunited with all who have gone before us.
Jesus tells us that you cannot serve both God and mammon. Sometimes we need to unplug from technology to listen to God, lest we slide into serving technology.
St. Paul reminds us that we are children of the light, and not of the darkness. When our day brings darkness, we especially need to remember to choose light.
