31 December 2020 - 7th day in the octave of Christmas - 1 John 2:18-21

     There is a very apocalyptic tone to our first reading from the first letter of John, addressing the Christian faithful in the last hour.  By the last hour, it meant the time between Christ’s resurrection and ascension into heaven and his second coming in glory. The faithful in the early Church believed that his second coming was imminent, certainly happening within their lifetime.  They believed that in the final hour, there would be anti-Messiahs and false teachers.  The false teachers would be coming from both within and without the Church. We have those teachers who are truly anointed by the Spirit, and those who try to lead us astray.  We have those who think their particular way of living out the faith is the only way, not taking into account the diversity of faith we have had from the days of the early Church.  

     However, this is not just a warning for the early Christians, but also a warning that we need to take seriously today. We know that elsewhere in the Gospels, Jesus told his followers to be prepared always, that they did not know the hour nor the day of his return.  We Christians are continually bombarded by people who, wittingly or unwittingly, are trying to undermine the vision of the Kingdom which Jesus passed on to us.  What is important is how we respond to those who try to undermine our faith and lead us astray.   Indeed, the only way we can respond is through word and action: to always to speak the truth of our faith in love.