Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Wednesday, the seventh day in the Octave of Christmas, December 31st, 2025

Delivered by Vici from the Parish of Saint John the Baptist in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. 1 John 2: 18-21; Rs psalm 96: 1-2.11-12.13; John 1: 1-18.THE LAST MOMENT Our meditation today isentitled: The Last Moment. The begining and the end occur in history of life.God is eternal where the beginning and the end actually unites each other. Whenthe writer of the first Letter of John says that today is the last hour, heactually proclaims about God's own words to remind us of the history of ourlives on earth. The last moment inthe simplest understanding is related to a period of time that eventually endsat certain point of history and passes away. We use the measurement of timesuch as seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. When a measureof time ends, it signifies the completion of an activity or life event and weusually say it as "time is over". Today, December 31st,we remember it as the last time or the last hour of 2025. The period of lifefrom the first seconds to the last seconds of the year 2025 will reach itsfinal point at 00:00 midnight. This entire day of today will be filled withvarious activities of individuals, families or communities that reflect oursense of gratitude and hope for the coming new year. But today's readingswant to teach us that our reflection on the last moment is not enough to takeinto account a period of events and activities in our lives. It is not enoughto contemplate life only on the surface, that is, today will pass and tomorrowwill come the next day. God actually reminds us that He is indeed above time. It is not time thatdetermines the fate of life that has a beginning and an end, but only God whodetermines it. An elderly man once said this expression: "Too bad I wasborn first, if I were born after I would have enjoyed all the conveniences andadvancements of this age." Then a teenager also said the following:"What makes me jealous is that adults are more mature and successful intheir endeavors." Both expressions fromthat somehow show regret are the examples of persons who see this life only amatter of time that defines one’s life. This is a superficial attitude of lifeor an experience life only on the surface. For believers, life and its purposemust be deeper and aspire to reach the highest end. Our life and journey offaith must depend only on God. We mus become true disciples of the Lord and letHim guide us along the way to perfection. We must rely on God who determinesour lives today and tomorrow.Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O heavenly Father, bless and enable us to make every moment of our lives meaningfuland may our attitudes of faith always follow your will consistently. Our Fatherwho art in heaven ... In the name of the Father ...