Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Saturday after Epiphany of the Lord, January 10th, 2026

Delivered by Charlene Mahadi from the Parish of Maria Kusumah Karmel in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. 1 John 5: 14-21; Rs psalm 149: 1-2.3-4.5.6a.9b; John 3: 22-30.MY JOY MADECOMPLETE           The title for ourmeditation today is: My Joy Made Complete. Many people do not easily understandthis expression from the holy Gospel, "Fullness of joy" or our joy“made complete”. But at least it is very well understood by a fisherman namedMatthew. Every morning he and many of his colleagues sell fish and othercatches on one of the sides of the coast of his native city. Many Christianswho do morning exercise or jogging in the beach know that Matthew is thefollower of Christ, because there is a Rosary hanging on his neck. After morningexercise and jogging they buy all the fish and kinds of seafood sold by Matthewand his friends. Matthew is well awarethat his encounter with God occurs through the aquaintance and interaction withfellow Christians every morning in the beach. Like John the Baptist who metJesus and experienced fullness of joy, Matthew actually experiences the samething. Matthew meets with others not in the church and in other spiritualactivities, but the meeting takes place in the sharing of gifts, blessings andjoy. People have fresh fish for their families, while Matthew is fortunate tohave money to bring home and to continue his work as fisherman. The fisherman's joycomes from love, acted out of love and shared in love. God is love, theevangelist John says. His work is for the welfare of his own family and thegood that is shared with others. If all people in this world do and experiencesuch kind of love, joy comes to reality. God knows, guides, and blesses all. Sothis experience of the fisherman opens our common awareness that each personhas responsibility in this life to create that joy. Just like John theBaptist and the fisherman Matthew, we shouldn't be making it so difficult and delicateway of work to search or find out where the Lord Jesus Christ is. God isalready in us, in our neighbor, and in the presence of the environment aroundus. We just need to increase awareness, be grateful for life every day, andcarry out our tasks every day in the name of love. From there flows and growsof the gift of joy. Don't forget this onething: in every action and situation of our duties, ask the Lord Jesus toaccompany and grant us blessings, so that those who are with us or those whomwe serve, know that through our actions, they meet the Lord. There will alwaysbe joyful experiences that help us to grow better in our faith.Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Lord Jesus, bless us today so we can be a source of joy for others andthe environtment around us. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the HolySpirit ... In the name of the Father ...