Daily Reading for Thursday, January 5th, 2017

Reading 1, First John 3:11-21

¹¹ This is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we must love one another,

¹² not to be like Cain, who was from the Evil One and murdered his brother. And why did he murder his brother? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's upright.

¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

¹⁴ We are well aware that we have passed over from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love, remains in death.

¹⁵ Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you are well aware that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

¹⁶ This is the proof of love, that he laid down his life for us, and we too ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

¹⁷ If anyone is well-off in worldly possessions and sees his brother in need but closes his heart to him, how can the love of God be remaining in him?

¹⁸ Children, our love must be not just words or mere talk, but something active and genuine.

¹⁹ This will be the proof that we belong to the truth, and it will convince us in his presence,

²⁰ even if our own feelings condemn us, that God is greater than our feelings and knows all things.

²¹ My dear friends, if our own feelings do not condemn us, we can be fearless before God,

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 100:1-2, 3, 4, 5

¹ [Psalm For thanksgiving] Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth,

² serve Yahweh with gladness, come into his presence with songs of joy!

³ Be sure that Yahweh is God, he made us, we belong to him, his people, the flock of his sheepfold.

⁴ Come within his gates giving thanks, to his courts singing praise, give thanks to him and bless his name!

⁵ For Yahweh is good, his faithful love is everlasting, his constancy from age to age.