Friday, December 31, 2021

 Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord

(I John 2:18-21; John 1:1-18)

Modern apocalyptic movies feature the antichrist.  He is usually a dark character with satanic power.  He comes to wreck evil upon the world.  However dramatic the antichrist may appear today, he is not described in this way in the Bible.  Today’s first reading gives reference to him.

The presbyter-writer rails against the antichrist.  From what is known of the context, he calls antichrists those who deny that the Son of God came in flesh and blood.  The antichrist would say that Jesus only appeared to have a human body.  According to this thought, Jesus was pure spirit.  His “resurrection” was not a marvelous act of God.  It was as natural as air under water to form bubbles floating upward.

We believe that Christ is God incarnate in a human body.  He really died and really rose from the dead.  We also believe that those who believe in him have the same destiny.  Belief here is multi-dimensional.  We not only assent to this teaching but also follow Jesus’ commands.  As a result, we become children of God.  The gospel also asserts that we receive “grace in place of grace.”  That is, our earthly grace of virtue will be replaced by eternal life.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord

(I John 2:18-21; John 1:1-18)

In the first reading, the author, who is known as John the Elder, writes of antichrists.  He finds them repugnant for having left his community.  Later on in the document he refers to those who do not acknowledge that Christ has come in the flesh as having the “spirit of the antichrist” (4:2).  The meaning of the passage is not completely clear, but given the times, one can offer an explanation.  It probably refers to those who deny that Jesus had a corporeal body -- a familiar concept of the Gnostic heretics prominent in the first centuries after Christ.  Dismissing Christ’s body enabled the Gnostics to downplay the need to guard against excesses of their own bodies.

If there are antichrists in the world today corresponding to those castigated in the first reading, they would include those eat foolishly and avoid exercise.  Often these people are plagued by emotional problems so that they deny the value and lack the will to care for their bodies.  They need the encouragement of others and a heightened sense that God cares about their health.

Taking our bodies seriously because Christ had a body is a worthy thought on the eve of a new year.  We do not want to party so much tonight that our bodies will ache tomorrow.  Also, we want to firmly resolve to diet and exercise regularly in 2015 so that our bodies may serve the glory of God.