Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious
I was recently in a conversation with two folks and one of them mentioned their dislike of the epistles from John. They said they much preferred straightforward, black-and-white writing instead of John's style. They said they feel like John just talks in circles. Today's reading captures some of his spiraling style. In particular, I wish to focus on one part of his musings.
John asks us to test all spirits and not assume they are all from God. We are to do proper discernment and he gives us a principle to use in our discernment. We are to use the incarnation and all of its implications to guide us. God's radical, self-emptying love. God's profession of relentless faithfulness in the Word becoming flesh. God's embrace of our humanity. These and so many of the other world-shattering implications of the incarnation are the goalposts for us to discern the good.
That which denies the truths of the incarnation. That which would make a mockery of the consequences of Christ taking flesh. That which outright denies Jesus as becoming human and all that that means. Those things are paths we should avoid treading and voices we should limit in our lives.
Rather, through our witness of faith, our exercise of love, and the hope we have in the name of Jesus we should bear fruit that is Incarnation affirming. May we live out John's circle of faith, hope, and love in a way that makes us conduits of God's Spirit in the world. The same Spirit that rested upon Mary at the annunciation when the Son of God became also the Son of Mary.
- Spencer Hargadon