Today’s first reading is a reminder to us about being faithful to our awareness and our understanding of the role  God has in our lives.  We, as Christians, have been made aware of God and our reliance on God through our baptism and our daily faith practices of prayer, refection and conversations with like-minded Christian.  The reading addresses the antichrist, those temptations that seek to replace Christ many times with what appears to be “a quick fix”.  God invites us to be faithful, to our calling to live a faith- centered life, which is an invitation to put God in the driver’s seat, trusting God’s navigation, using our gifts to enhance life on this earth, while always being mindful of “the promise that he made us: eternal life.”

The Gospel continues with the lesson of our calling to be a witness of Christ, as John the Baptist, who was not Christ but rather a Holy Man who had heard the word of God and was encouraging people of his time to “Make straight the way of the Lord”.  Embracing our faith heritage, we are asked to live our lives being faithful to what God has asked of us, remaining humble and confident that God will take care of us. If we remain faithful and not put things of an antichrist nature,  (human power, money, etc.) in the driver’s seat, but rather, trust in the “saving power of God” we, as Christians today, will also “make straight the way of the Lord.” …Wishing you a faith-filled New Year…