Scripture Reflection for Dec. 31, 2011

I found this reflection from 2002 and they are the same readings for today.  I wanted to share them with all of you.  For us 2011 was filled with much grief and sorrow but never without Hope of what is to come.  Praying that 2012 is filled with every blessing and thank you for sustaining our family through prayer, love, and support.

1 John 2:18-21 ~ Psalm 96:1-2, 11-13 ~ John 1:1-18

“But you have the anointing of the Holy One, so that all knowledge is yours. My reason for having written you is not that you do not know the truth but that you do.” 1 John 2: 20-21

This letter takes aim at a philosophy known as Gnosticism. While taking many different forms, a basic teaching of Gnosticism was that all matter was evil and that the body was a prison from which the spirit must be released. Through attaining elaborate and special advanced knowledge this release could be achieved. Those who had such “higher knowledge’ thought of themselves as the only truly spiritual ones. They looked disparagingly on those whose occupation with daily life left no time or discipline to attain this knowledge and believed these others could never experience true religion or attain spiritual maturity. The author assures the community that the humblest, least educated Christian need not feel inferior to the most learned. All are anointed with knowledge of the truth. The essentials of the faith are available to all. What is needed is to understand these truths more fully and more effectively putting them into practice in our lives.

I thank you, Holy One, that you have made so freely known those things that lead to salvation and life.