glory to thy people Israel

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

1 John 2:3-11 Psalm 96:1-6 Luke 2:22-35

Luke 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."

I think there is a tendency to forget that Christianity started with Israel. It began with the Jews. That is significant in how we should understand our faith.
We tend to forget that Jesus and his apostles preached that if we are truly in Christ then our works should show that. If we do not keep the commands of God then we are liars if we consider ourselves Christian. This is what John tells us today. It is a violation of the commandment itself. To take the name of the Lord in vain is to call oneself a Christian and then not act accordingly. This is a very Jewish principle.
We have lost a great deal of the sense of tradition and of value of family and authority. These too are Jewish principles. Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. He is the glory of Israel and a revelation to the gentiles, not the other way around as we often presume.

Father, help me by your Holy Spirit to always seek to keep your commands and thereby to know you better. Hlpe me to not forget the tradition and history of the faith so that I can keep a proper understanding and perspective.

Amen