A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings

Genesis 32:3-21

After years of brokenness in their relationship, Jacob and Esau prepare to meet each other. Years back, Jacob had deceived Esau. Now Jacob wanted to find favor in Esau’s sight. Jacob knew how much he had hurt Esau, and Jacob was filled with fear and distress as Esau made his way to see Jacob. Jacob was so unsure about how Esau would react when the two saw each other after so many years that Jacob divided his own people into groups hoping that if Esau attacked one of the groups, then the other groups could escape. Jacob spends time in prayer - “I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children.” After prayer, Jacob took presents for his brother Esau and gave them to his servants to handover to Esau as a peace offering. What will happen next? Definite cliff-hanger!!!! What relationships in our life are broken because of something we have done? How have others hurt us by their actions? What might the road to reconciliation look like? Are we humble enough to initiate the first step towards healing a broken relationship? Describe the fears and distress that might be associated with attempting to reconcile. What might we offer as a peace offering to those whom we have hurt? How does Christ give us a model for the ministry of reconciliation? 


1 John 2:18-29

What if today was our last opportunity to live life the way we truly wanted to? Would this knowledge affect what we did today? What would we do differently? What thoughts, words and deeds have we done that we regret and would want to change? We know for sure that we have been anointed by the Holy Spirit. How does this reality affect how we live? Why we do what we do stems from our core belief about Christ. The work of the antichrist is to deny God but the work of the Christ is to confess/reveal God. In what ways have we confessed Christ with our lips but denied Christ with our life? Do we realize that from the moment we were conceived in our mother’s womb, we knew the truth of God’s word? Let us then take what we have heard from the beginning and allow it to shape and guide how we live our life. We do not need anyone to teach us for the anointing of the Holy Spirit teaches us about all things. This teaching, which is rooted in the life of Jesus Christ, is true and is not a lie. Therefore, let us abide in the truth of Jesus Christ so that we might have confidence and not be put to shame. We may not realize it but what we really want is a life of abundance, and this is exactly what Jesus Christ desires to give us. Are we ready and willing to abide in Christ?


John 10:19-30

A word, a statement, an opinion can bring about unity but it can also be the source for division. In this passage, the Jews were divided because of the word Christ spoke. The Jews gathered around Jesus and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe.” Are we convinced that Jesus is Messiah/Savior? Does the word, the statement, the opinion we share with others bring about unity or division? What might be an explanation for this? What does ‘free speech’ mean to us, and should speech have limits or no limits? Why?


To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.

Fr. Thomas+



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