1 Jn 3:22–4:6; PS 2:7bc-8, 10-12a; Mt 4:12-17, 23-25
Yesterday morning, I awoke to a pre-dawn sky filled with light from the moon, with that light reflecting off the snow making it even brighter. Today, the pre-dawn sky was dark and cold, filled with falling snow. What a difference twenty four hours can make. It would have been easy to climb back into bed, huddling under the warmth of the blankets.
Hiding from the cold and darkness, seeking comfort for ourselves, is often what we want to do, because of temptations from the spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus, does not belong to God. When Jesus encountered darkness due to the arrest of John, he didn’t go into hiding. Instead, he continued saying what John had been saying, he continued his mission. He began “teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.”
When we encounter the darkness in our lives, how do we respond? Do we succumb to the temptations to seek out comfort for ourselves? Or do we follow Jesus’ example, by spreading the light, and warmth, of Christ, to those in the dark and cold?
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