I am writing to you, children,
because your sins have been forgiven for his name’s sake.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have conquered the Evil One.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong and the word of God remains in you,
and you have conquered the Evil One.
Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,
is not from the Father but is from the world.
Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever. 1 JN 2:12-17
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary.
Today John the Evangelist writes in his letter how men should live. Young men pay attention. He says, “I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the Evil One.
Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,
is not from the Father but is from the world.
Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever. 1 Jn 2:12-17
John specifically talks about what to keep our eyes on and eyes off of today in his letter. Do not lust (think or talk about a guy/girl as an object), enticement of the eyes (view pornography, dirty magazines, or racy romance novels), and a pretentious person is one who puts on an act or makes a claim to fit into a group (basically, someone who is fake to fit in). Listen carefully to what he says after this. ”The world and its enticements are passing away, but whoever does the will of God remains forever.” Stay chaste and fight on! If you need help, talk to your parents, a priest, a religious sister, or a religion teacher.
There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him. Lk 2:36-40
In the Gospel today, ending the Presentation in the Temple, a prophetess named Anna, who has been praying and fasting for many years in the temple comes over to Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus and “And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.” Lk 2:36-40
Our Redeemer has been born! Are you spending time with Him, thanking Him, bringing Him into your daily life? He has brought us eternal life, he deserves your first and your best everyday!
Today’s challenge: Ask for help, fast and pray if you are struggling with pornography or any form of lust. It is a strong addiction that must be dealt with like being addicted to a drug.
Visit https://fightthenewdrug.org/ to get the facts on how pornography negatively effects a person.
Warning to Parents! It doesn’t matter if you have a filter on your Internet or you talk to your children about everything. 90% of young people have viewed pornography by age 11 or 12. Much of it is accidental pornography at the younger ages. Talk to your kids about the effects of pornography.
My best resource is Sister Maria Jacinta, IHM. She has done extensive work on this topic and puts it to the test with her high school students down to 3rd grade.
srmariajacinta@kapaun.org
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