Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Thursday after Epiphany of the Lord, January 8th, 2026

Delivered by Christine Gunawan from the Parish of Saint Joseph Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Pontianak, Indonesia. 1 John 4: 19 - 5: 4; Rs psalm 72: 1-2.14.15bc.17; Luke 4: 14-22a.LOVING GOD IS LOVINGNEIGHBORS Our meditation today isentitled: Loving God Is Loving Neighbors. On April 15, 2018, Pope Francisvisited a church in the city of Rome and he had a dialogue with the children.Emanuelle, an 8-year-old boy, walked forward and asked the Holy Father aquestion. "A few days agomy father passed away. My father was an atheist. But he is a very kind father.We four children were so loved by him. He took us all to church to be baptizedinto Catholicism. And so, is my father now in heaven?" Emanuelle asked thequestion in heavy words because he was crying. Pope Francis gave asatisfying answer and strengthened the heart of Emanuelle with his threebrothers and mother. The Pope said that God brings a good person with kindheart to heaven. Anyone in this world who does goodness to others is verypleasing to God. He or she is certainly so loved by God. He or she must be inheaven and not anywhere else. The problem is thatEmanuelle’s father is not a believer. He is an atheist. In other words, ingeneral understanding, he does not love God. But in the reality of his life heis a kind and loving person. He even did a very great act of love, which was tobring all his children to the Church, to Jesus, and to God. This means he knowsthere is God. He entrusted his family to God. He was actuallyloving a God he is not believing. We must call this a hidden faith, an implicitfaith, or faith known only to God and his own deepest heart. Even he himselfdid not realize that in his subconscious and deepest heart there iscommunication with God. Therefore this father could not help but already havelove for God, so with sincerity and love he offered his children to God. Saint John in thefirst reading today confirms that whoever loves God, he must also love hisfellow brothers and sisters. The love he gives or shares to others is the samelove that he receives from God, because God first loves him. The experience of anatheist father for his four children is enough to give us awareness andunderstanding that we as believers surely love God and we also love ourbrothers, sisters and neighbors. These are all the fulfillment of thescriptures as expressed by the Gospel reading of today. When love is expressedand shared, the scriptures come true and fulfilled. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Jesus, make us diligent and faithful with Your Word, then we areencouraged to fulfill Your mission on earth. Hail Mary, full of grace ... Inthe name of the Father...