Monday 29 December 2025. Readings: 1 John 2:3-11, Ps. 96:1-3,5-6, Luke 2:22-35
“Whoever says, ‘I am in the light,’ while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness.” (1 John 2:9)
Christmas is a celebration of God’s love for humanity. The popular Bible passage reads, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16). If God loved us this much, it only follows that we ought to love Him in return. Since we cannot see God face-to-face, we must love our fellow human beings.
God did not just show us love by taking our human flesh, but also came to teach us how to live. To be alive is to love. Take away love, and what is left is death. Unfortunately, even after reminding ourselves of the great love story of Christmas, many Christians fail to get the message of love; we continue hating others. As natural as hatred may seem, St. John teaches us today that hatred is blindness. To hate is to remain in darkness.
Is there a justification for hating anybody? If there was any benefit of hating others, how come God never recommended it? What if the person is really evil and I don’t want to have anything to do with them? Was this not the case for humanity generally when God assumed our human nature to save us? Did we deserve such love? No matter how evil a person is, your attitude towards them should never be hatred.
Hatred does more damage to us (it poisons our minds, gives room for the devil to feed us with dangerous thoughts) than the person we hate. “He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still... He who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” Just as one cannot walk far in the night when it is dark, we cannot go far in life with hatred in our hearts.
Hatred steals our creativity. Instead of tapping into our positive energy and making the best use of our time and talents, hatred reduces us, weakens us and turns us into instruments in the devil’s hands. When you see someone you hate, you start looking for ways to bring them down or to cause them pain. By doing so, you bring yourself down. You can never go up in life by pulling others down; you only progress when you help others move higher.
Do not become the Herod who kills thousands of innocent children in a bid to kill someone you consider a rival. You may consider yourself a good person, but you do not know how much evil you are capable of doing when you allow hatred to take hold of your mind. We have seen saints behave worse than demons because the wine of bitterness toward others intoxicated them. The saying goes, “When our enemies succeed in making us hate them, they have defeated us.” When we hate others, we become like them. Our real power lies in our ability to remain angels of light regardless of the provocation from others.
Hating someone will never help them repent from their sinfulness. Hatred only creates an irreparable gap between us and those we hate. When we hate, we condemn a person, and the mere thought of them angers us. No matter how bad we are or the number of bad things we do, God never hates us. Like the prodigal Father, God waits for our return and repentance. God doesn’t even wait for us; He reaches out to us. As evil as we are, God abandons the “ninety-nine” who are good and searches us for us.
Hatred betrays our Christian faith: “By this, we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” How did Jesus walk? He came to save sinners. Jesus redeemed sinners by loving them. While the Pharisees distanced themselves from individuals such as Matthew, Zacchaeus, and other known sinners, Jesus was friendly with them. By associating with them, he brought them from darkness to light. If you are truly in the light, you will not hate evil doers; instead, you will do everything within your power to bring them out of darkness.
Given the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, Mary and Joseph knew that Jesus was a special child. However, they chose to comply with the law. They did not regard themselves as above the law. When it was time for their purification, they presented Jesus in the temple and brought the required items. This speaks volumes about their humility and wisdom.
As much as Mary and Joseph tried to behave like other parents, the baby Jesus was like a light too bright to be hidden, especially for those who were already close to God. When Simeon saw the child, he recognised him as the Messiah. He held the child in his hands and began to prophesy. Mary treasured everything in her heart.
When you are close to God, He will reveal many things. You will learn what your physical sight (or natural knowledge) cannot fathom. However, to get such a level of divine revelation, keep your heart free from hatred. Remember the saying of Jesus: “Blessed are the pure in heart; they shall see God.”
Let us pray: Almighty and invisible God, who dispersed the darkness of this world by the coming of your light, look, we pray, with serene countenance upon us, that we may acclaim with fitting praise the greatness of the Nativity of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (5th day within the octave of Christmas. Liturgical Colour: White. Bible Study: 1 John 2:3-11, Ps. 96:1-3,5-6, Luke 2:22-35)
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu