Walk in the Light

The appointed Gospel reading for the Daily Prayer of the Church comes from the Gospel according to John:

 

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ Then the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.’ Jesus answered, ‘Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.’ Then they said to him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’ (Jn. 8:12-19)

 

This passage shows us the intimate connection between the Father and the Son.  As we say in the Nicene Creed which we pray every Sunday, “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.” The Pharisees failed to see the connection.  Jesus’ disciples and the Early Church saw the connection; that was their experience of Jesus, God with us.  That has been the experience of the Church through the ages, and it is ours as well because whoever follows Jesus will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

 

Let us pray:  Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

Thursday, 16 January, the Seaside Seniors will have their monthly lunch at Sutton Hall at St. Augustine’s.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Karen.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550