Daily Office Readings for Monday of 1 Advent (revised and republished from December 2 of 2019)
Morning, Psalm 1, 2, and 3; Evening, Psalm 4 and 7; Amos 2:6 to 16; 2nd Peter 1:1 to 11; Matthew 21:1 to 11:
“His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2nd Peter1: 3)
St. Peter proclaims that God has given us all that we need for both life and godliness. The life part we share with all living creatures. We all breathe and consume and grow. What makes humanity different is that we also have all that we need to live our God-given lives in a godly way.
Perhaps the first thing that we should recognize about God is that God is the Creator. Notice the big “C.” We humans then, created in the Image of God and being godly are created creators. Notice the little “c.”
God is Creator in all ways. Most of us are creators in specific ways. Some of us are creators in just a few ways or maybe only one way, but it is the godly part of us and we should not deny it.
Also part of the godly part is the implanted love of God that is in us but too often denied. This love part was modeled for us by God in the person of our Lord Jesus. And we have it “through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
When I read these words attributed to Peter I realize that God, acting in our Lord Jesus Christ, was still at work in Peter who denied Him three times. When we deny our gifts we too deny God who created us and gifted us. Our life’s search should be to discover our hidden talents. All of us have a godly part within us. If we have life (check your pulse) then we have love and a godly gift.
Let me say that it is through love that your godly gift is discovered. Don’t resist the urge to just let go and let God. Experiment through love of the many and manifold ways that you might express happiness. The rest of us are waiting to see what God has given you. We are waiting in this Advent time of expectation to see something new born in you.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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