Knowing God.

Homily for December 29, 2017.

“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35. 

In today’s first reading, St. John tells us precisely what it means to know God which is: KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS. One who claims to know God and yet disobeys God’s commandments is a LIAR deceiving himself.

It is one thing to acquire knowledge about God but a different thing altogether to really know God. Knowing about God may earn you a Ph.D but knowing God translates directly to living a holy life. There are so many Christians in our world today who know so much about God, our streets are littered with churches but as Jesus would say, by their fruits we shall know them.

To help us understand what it means to know God, let’s take our minds to the scene of the annunciation. When the Angel told Mary she would have a child, she said, “How can this be since I do not know man.” To know God is to be in a relationship with God and one cannot be in a relationship with God without it reflecting in his or her life.

Unless I am keeping God’s commandments, I cannot say I know God. In short, as long as hatred lurks in my heart, I cannot claim knowledge of God. John tells us, “Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. … Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

Hatred blinds our eyes. It not only shuts people out of our lives, it also pushes us away from God who is Love.

In our Gospel passage today, Jesus is brought to the temple in accordance with the traditions of the Jews. Just at that moment, there was a man called Simeon whose closeness to God was so outstanding that God promised him that he would see the face of the Messiah before his death.

Simeon is a shining example of what it means to know God; to be a relationship with God. As soon as he saw the child, he knew immediately that this was the child spoken about by the prophets; the expected Messiah. I don’t think anyone told him anything about this particular child, the Holy Spirit helped him identify the child Jesus. The closer we get to God by living a holy life, the more we get revelations from God.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may my knowledge of you affect my very life. Amen.

Merry Christmas. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Fifth Day of Christmas. Bible Study: 1^st John 2:3-11 and Luke 2:22-35).