The epitome of falsehood and lies and errors unbecoming of a Christian — that is the anti-Christ.
And the church gloriously gives this focused message, so pointedly warning and calling us to awareness of that which is not truth — the anti-Christ.
And so the church tells us on the last day of the year that it is the last hour and not one anti-Christ has appeared; but many have so appeared.
And so rejoice, and be comforted, confident and faithful to the realization that you have been anointed by the Holy One, and the Holy One has given you the fullness of truth and knowledge.
+Be faithful!
+Johntold the truth. He had come to testify to the light because he (John) was not the light; he was only testifying to the Light.
+The light — Christ, who was withGod and was God in the beginning and always was and will be that light — was coming and, indeed, has come into the world.
We have received the light. We have been born into that light.
We are anointed into that light.
We walk in and dance in and share that light. We have become people of the light.
And so what is our call, our challenge, our responsibility, our one great task, our reason — and especially our reason in this season?
It is, like John, to testify to that light in all that we say and do.
+ We should beware, be careful, and do all that we can to never, never, never go back into the darkness.
And if we should dip our toes into the darkness for a short or long time, we should be repentant and ready to be touched by God’s loving mercy that we might return to the light and rejoice in that light.
It is the reason for the season, and the reason that we say and sing and dance to: Merry Christmas! Happy holidays! “Joy to the World”! “O Holy Night”! “Silent Night”!
All is calm. All is bright.
Rejoice! Believe! Peace!
And, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
