Memorial of Saint John Neumann 1 John 4:7-10 Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8 Mark 6:34-44

Celebrating Christmas Daily Christmas Prayer Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer

We all are moving from the warm feelings of the holidays to the long cold winter of a more ordinary time.  We reflect also in today’s readings about the change from the coming of the baby Jesus in the infancy stories to teachings of the Sermon on the Mount - the service of the adult Jesus treating our needs.  Both are based on his love for us.  John says we have had the love of God revealed to us when God sent his only begotten Son so that we might have life through him.

The gospel tells the familiar story of the multiplication of loaves and fishes to feed the large crowd following him.  He was moved with pity for them and then fed them.  Jesus blessed the people and served them as he still does for us.  Always because of our needs he has pity on us and helps us.

He has given us the gift of faith so we trust in his love for us.  He forgives our sins again and again when we have sorrow for them and a desire to become better.  He shows us that the Kingdom of God is present even now in each of our lives if only we help the poor and needy, the depressed and fearful.

The Psalm today reminds us that we are to follow the Lord and treat the people with justice and love.  Every nation on earth will adore the Lord God when his people follow his teachings to bring peace and justice to all and defend the afflicted and the children of the poor.

These readings prompt us to continue the good feeling we have had during this Christmas season.  Now that the Lord has come and is manifested to all who believe, they will hear his message to hear the cry of the poor.  In this way we join all others in the world in our worship and adoration of the Savior.  Now, in early January after the Epiphany we see that love is like the five loaves and two fishes – there never seems to be enough food to go around until we start giving it away.