Today's Thoughts - 01/02/2017

Today'sThoughts: Our readings today focus on Christology; who Christ is for us. The saints we celebrate today St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen have a smile on their faces as they spent a lot of time talking, writing and defining Christology – the humanness of Christ and the divinity of Christ, or perhaps said differently the mystery of Christ. Who exactly is Christ in our life? How have we come to know him?

For me one of the interesting aspects of our readings is not so much the presentation of Christology, who Christ is but it is the reality of coming to know Christ for ourselves. John the Baptist shows us the way; to know Christ we have to know ourselves, know who we are and who we are not. John knows himself and in knowing who he is, he is able to know Christ. John the Evangelist in the first reading tells his community to remember who they are and in doing so they will remember and know Christ. It is an age old process; it is the foundation of our journey of faith – to know ourselves is to know God!

Perhaps in these early days of the New Year it might be good to pause and do a little self-reflection, not in a narcissistic way, but in an honest way. Who are we? What do we value? What do we believe? What are our struggles? What are our faults and failings? What are our joys and hopes? As we once again come to recognize and know ourselves, we will once again come to recognize and know our God!

Have a great Monday everyone.