I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. John 1:26-27
John the Baptist helps us get our heads straight about humility. On the face of it, with his thundering calls to repentance, his drawing a host of disciples to himself and his ritual cleansing, humility is not the first word that comes to mind about him. But that may say more about us—and our associations with that word—than it says about John.
One thing that can be said about him: John did not suffer from an identity crisis. He knew exactly who he was, and the unfailing sense of his own vocation gave clearest meaning to his thundering words and symbolic actions. And humility, living from the deepest truth of his being, was the key to that.
His vocation was for him to fade out as the true light came into the world. In doing so, John sets the daily itinerary for all who are called to follow the way of the Gospel: I must decrease so that he may increase. (See John 3:30.)
I actually welcomed the pause from the comments on the LF pages. Not that I don’t love hearing from you all, I get so much from all of your prayers, posts, and comments. The past 5-6 weeks were a whirlwind for me and I needed to catch my breath. Wishing all of you a blessed happy and holy New Year!
Happy New Year to all of our Living Faith Community. I'm so happy that LF has opened our comment section back up. LF officials, please reconsider before doing so again. We all need to feel the Lords' presence every day and this community helps us do so. Thank you.
Happy New Years to this blessed community! I missed you. Not sure if anyone else couldn’t access comments, but there was no button for several days!! I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and joyful New Year. Love the reading today about humility! I am going to post the humility prayer after this one. Some news for the group: I am officially retired as of the 31st. Woo hoo. Next week on Jan 10th I will fly to Europe for my culinary program. While I originally matriculated in Dijon, France, my program was cancelled due to lack of participation. While another French School opened as an option for me, God had other plans. A cancellation to a program in Italy opened up at the Italian Culinary Institute in Staletti. I am so excited and I’m on the countdown, leaving on January 10th. Sending light to Sal, Debbie and Anna, as well as Ken’s son. Also, Garrett and Vicky, hoping the new year brings greater strength and healing.
Lord please hear our prayers and bring your light to all those who have been hurt, killed and impbacted by the terrorist attacks on US soil. Come to the side of those experiencing violence in Haiti, the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Darfur, and the Sudan. Please hear the pleas of all those suffering around the world - and give them strength, courage and resilience to continue walking in faith. Send them your light. Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in Haiti, the Middle East, Ukraine, Russia, Darfur and Sudan. Please protect and send aid to those in need and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace and rebuilding– we who are working towards it and for all those who are suffering or in danger from conflicts. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. Amen
Happy New Year to all the LFF. I personally feel incredibly blessed as my daughter who described herself as “agnostic” less than 2 years ago decided to make a custom rosary for each of her family members as a Christmas gift this year. She has since asked to visit a Marian shrine with me and although I am still overwhelmed ,my heart is overflowing with joy at this transformation. I pray for her constantly and my faith in the Lord’s blessings never ceases. May all in the LFF experience a Happy, Healthy and Blessed 2025.
AMEN!
May all LFF have a Blessed New Year. I read a reflection the other day about the New Year: Jesus stands between the old year and the new year. And says " The Light of My Presence is flung across the year to come - the radiance of the Sun of Righteousness. Backward, over the past year is My Shadow thrown, hiding trouble and sorrow and disappointment." Store only the blessings from Jesus, the Light of the World.
Fr. Gallagher thank you for those words. If only we all knew our own identity so well. I fear that even in my retirement years I continue to find out who I am :{ I would like to start out the new year with a cute story from Christmas day. In mass Christmas morning the lector began the mass asking if anyone had a birthday. Nobody stood up or acknowledged a birthday. It was quiet for about 15 seconds when a young lady about 6 years of age, sitting along the aisle in her pew stood up and leaned toward the open aisle saying, “Jesus has a birthday today.” The entire church laughed and murmured yes, she is right. It was so cute. The young lady looked up at her mother who is at first not sure what to think but then looked down at her daughter smiled and hugged her. It was so cute! Here's to a new year filled with God and his wondrous love spreading through all the world. Blessings LFF, may those with extra needs find peace and less troubles with this new year and may we all share Gods love with everyone.
Anne, as an occasional commenter, who am I calling attention to? Nevermind, no need to answer.
Welcome back to the living faith family. Loads of people who need our prayers in New Orleans to Gaza and the Ukraine. Please pray for Debbie and her daughter Anna who's having trouble with her motivation to keep going. Sal who is recovering but must be isolated due to open heart surgery. My blessed youngest son who's test shows low red blood cells and loss of blood. Waiting on more tests. He tells me that he's always cold and tired. On a positive note I listened to utube video from a group you guys might remember. I try to send it,might have ads. https://youtu.be/LUZpjW7QHGo?si=SqekIJWP3kffMImD Ken
Welcome back to our platform everyone...I hope we all had a holy and blessed Christmas...I did miss connecting with LFF and the daily inspiring prayers and messages...I do pray for a wonderful 2025 for all of us
Happy, peaceful and healthy New Jubilee Year of Hope to all the LFF. Today’s commentary points to John the Baptist as a model of humility for us. Even as he spoke out boldly and gathered many disciples, his message always pointed to Jesus, as the one who was the true light who came into the world to save us from our sins. That is the example that we are called to emulate. As we serve in various ministries in the church, God uses us with our talents to call attention to Jesus, our Lord and Savior. In all our words and actions, by the witness of our lives, we are called to point the way to Jesus.
Peace to everyone. Amen!
My prayer "Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and make me a herald of your word of truth and grace. Fill me with the joy of the Gospel that I may eagerly point others to you as John did through his life and testimony."
Good morning and Happy New Year LFF. Thank you for your inspiring words Bill. ☮️
01/01/25 We look back on 2024 and thank God! We look forward to 2025 and trust God! Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year, beloved LFFamily!!! *** As we, my husband Matt, our daughter Jessi, our dog Penny and I were returning home from shopping yesterday afternoon, Jessi spotted a triple rainbow and took a picture while we were driving on I-81…the picture captured a huge bodacious white cross standing on the side of the highway in front of a double rainbow behind it!!! What a amazing picture :-) *** Reminds me of Isaiah 43:19, “I AM about to do something new. It is beginning to happen even now. Don’t you see it coming? I AM going to make a way for you to go through the desert. I will make streams of water in the dry and empty land!” Amen, I say! I feel so comforted in knowing God has already taken care of everything Jessi’s next three year as medical resident :-) *** He also reminds me of His promise in Genesis 9:16, “When the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it. I will remember that My covenant will last forever. It is a covenant between Me and every kind of living creature on earth!” ******* Blessings upon all of us and our loved ones in Numbers 6:24-26, “May the Lord bless you and take good care of you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace!” Amen :-) *** The Blessing by Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes (Elevation Worship) https://youtu.be/uZ55mDL7dA0?si=eVpwQj20M_Ixqd_V
I look back on 2024 and thank God! I look forward to 2025 and trust God! Happy, healthy and blessed 2025 to LFFamily ✝️
Loved, "John did not suffer from an identity crisis. He knew exactly who he was!" Do I know who I am? More specifically, do I know who I WAS? Do you know who you are? More specifically, do you know who you WERE? *** Read Ephesians 2:1-3. What does this passage say about what is true of me before I know Christ? in what way can you relate to this? *** Read Ephesians 2:4-10. What does this passage say happens to me after I come to know Christ? In what way can you relate to this? ***Read Ezekiel 36:25-27. What are some changes that happen when I come to know Christ (God)? In what way can you relate to this? ******* The Truth in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, "So from now on we don’t look at anyone the way the world does. At one time we looked at Christ in that way. But we don’t anymore. When anyone lives in Christ, the new creation has come. The old is gone! The new is here! All this is from God. He brought us back to Himself through Christ’s death on the cross. And He has given us the task of bringing others back to Him through Christ. God was bringing the world back to Himself through Christ. He did not hold people’s sins against them. God has trusted us with the message (the Good News f Jesus Christ :-) that people may be brought back to Him. So we are Christ’s official messengers. It is as if God were making His appeal through us. Here is what Christ wants us to beg you to do. Come back to God! Christ didn’t have any sin. But God made Him become sin for us. So we can be made right with God because of what Christ has done for us!" I say Amen! Agiaan I say Amen!!! *** Do you know the Truth, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? *** Do you call out to Him when you are in need or trouble? Or do you call out to any other names besides Jesus? Or do you call out to Jesus in addition to all the other names? *** Acts 4:10-12, "Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead. It is through Jesus’ Name that this man stands healed in front of you. Scripture says that Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders did not accept. But it has become the most important stone of all.’ (Psalm 118:22) You can’t be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given people no other Name under heaven that will save them.” ******* Philippians 2:5-11, "As you deal with one another, you should think and act as Jesus did. In His very nature he was God. Jesus was equal with God. But Jesus didn’t take advantage of that fact. Instead, He made Himself nothing. He did this by taking on the nature of a servant. He was made just like human beings. He appeared as a man. He was humble and obeyed God completely. He did this even though it led to His death. Even worse, He died on a cross! So God lifted Him up to the highest place. God gave Him the name that is above every name. When the Name of Jesus is spoken, everyone will kneel down to worship Him (alone and no others). Everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will kneel down to worship Him. Everyone’s mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord. And God the Father will receive the glory!" *** It makes me sad when someone calls out to other names than the Name of Jesus :-( I am not judging, but really sad :-( Reminds me of the Coke commercial, "It is the real thing...Coke is what the world wants today!" *** Then I see people drinking Pepsi :-( It makes me think not judging, "Yuk!!!" *** I have a red (spoofing the Coca Cola logo) sweatshirt that says, "Jesus Christ, Eternally Refreshing! John 4:14, "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst!""
Wishing a Blessed Happy Healthy New Year to all the LFF
As the door opens on another year, let us look forward instead of back. Strive to do good works with joy in our hearts. May we reach out with a welcoming hand rather than a clenched fist. Remember that there are a whole lot more good people out there than bad. Be one of the good ones. Adding my favorite bible quote; Matthew 7:1-2, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." To all the LF family and team, have a blessed, safe and Happy New Year. Bill L.
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Comments were off for all during the Christmas Octave. Your upcoming trip sounds wonderful. Have a safe journey and plan feast for us when you return!