We get some very stark words today in our first reading from 1 John 3. In the Gospel reading from John 1, we read about the call of Simon and Andrew.
Listen to the words of St. John from our first reading today. "Whoever sins belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the beginning. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. In this way, the children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother."
Now, don't despair when you read this. After all, we all sin, right? We have to remember that when we decide to sin, we are not following God's will. Therefore, in that moment, we don't "belong to God." We succumb to the wiles of the Devil. Hopefully, that's not a permanent state. That's why we must always grow in faith and in grace, renewing our commitment to Christ and participating in the sacraments. Think of it like this: we belong to God - let's act like it!
Father, help us to not turn our backs on you and submit to the tactics of the Devil. We belong to you. Give us the grace to renew that commitment each day. Amen.
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