Tuesday
after the Epiphany
January 6, 2015 8:30am
The first readings in this week
after the Epiphany are from the First Letter of John.
They talk a lot about love and
God being love.
Well, from God we learn something
about love.
And one thing we learn from God is
that sometimes we are to let go of what is in our own interest and good for the
sake of others.
God sent his Son for us and our
good.
And the Son in turn offered
himself for us.
Both actions tell us something of
the essence of God – that God foregoes self-interest for us.
I think it is fair to say that we
live in an age of self-assertion and self-fulfillment, and concern for our own rights.
There are many good points to all
of this.
However, in this age, letting go
of my own self-interest and what is good for me may be difficult.
It may sound strange and
counter-cultural.
But at times we do need to do
this.
Sometimes we all must relinquish
our own self-interest just for life to work in our world.
On a higher plain, we would do
this for the common good.
I let go of my self-interest
because I want to care for the common good, the overall good of everyone.
On this level, we do this because
we value community.
Jesus does this in today’s
gospel.
He was not intending to go in the
boat with the disciples but sees their fear and gets into the boat and calms
both the water and the disciples.
So Jesus lets go of whatever it
was that he was going to do for the sake of others, for their well-being – the
community, the common good.
And then ultimately, our faith in
Christ takes this even further.
This letting go of self-interest
is the way to a higher life.
It is the way to be one with God,
who is love itself as the reading from John says.
It is the way to live God’s life,
to live divine and eternal life.
I see all of this packed in
today’s first reading.
