THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for January 8th, 2014
Liturgical texts here
Christ Walking on Water, Julius von Klever
PART of a reader’s response to yesterday’s Now Word, Love Beyond the Surface:
What you said is very true… But I think the sole focus of the Church since Vatican II has been love, love, love, love—with zero focus on the consequences of sinful actions… I think the most loving thing a person can do for an AIDS patient ( or adulterer, porn viewer, liar etc.) is tell them that they will spend eternity in the darkest abyss of hell if they do not repent. They won’t like hearing that, but it is the Word of God, and the Word of God has power to set the captive free… Sinners are pleased to hear consoling fleshy words, not realizing that soft, smooth words, tender embraces, and pleasant conversation without the hard truth is deceptive and powerless, a counterfeit Christianity, lacking power. —N.C.
Before we look at today’s Mass readings, why not look at how Jesus responded when He did “the most loving thing a person can do”: