Monday January 5, 2026

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Good News Reflections:
Making scripture meaningful to your daily life
by Terry Modica

To receive whatever we ask for, we must remain in God, and he in us.

Good News Reflection for:

Monday after Epiphany
Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop
January 5, 2026

Today’s Prayer:

Thank You, beloved Lord, because You let Yourself be found in my life, You call me by my name, and to follow You becomes a necessity for me. Amen.

IMPROVE YOUR DAY!
Powerful Catholic prayers are available on our YouTube channel.

Today’s Readings:

(Readings vary in different parts of the world)
1 John 3:22–4:6
Ps 2:7bc-8, 10-12a
Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010526.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-january-5-2026

Prayers that work miracles

Today’s first reading begins with a promise that seems too good to be true: “We receive from God whatever we ask …” The rest of the sentence explains why this is true: “Because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.”

Many people think that the reason why prayers don’t get answered is because we don’t ask rightly — we don’t pray enough novenas or we don’t use the right words. But God’s Word says it’s because we don’t live rightly: “We should believe in the name of Jesus, and …”

What does believing in Jesus mean? “Love one another as he commanded us.”

To receive whatever we ask for, we must remain in God, and he in us. That means being an open, holy vessel of the Lord. If we live in true union with God, then whatever we desire — whatever we ask for — already came from God in the first place.

We maintain this unity by loving one another the way he loves us. When we finish our prayers by making the sign of the cross and speaking the words “in the name of Jesus, amen”, it should mean that we are praying in the completeness of who Jesus is. Therefore, remaining in God means that whatever we ask for is also in God — it’s already in his desires and in his plans.

Praying “in the name of Jesus, amen” is not an “abbra-cadabbra” magic phrase as if that could make our wishes come true. Rather, it’s a commitment of unity with him. We’re telling God and we’re telling ourselves and we’re telling angels and demons that we really want our prayers to be answered in the fullness of the Spirit of Christ: his nature, his mission, his love. We want only what God knows is right and best. We’re surrendering “MY will be done”, for “Your will be done, holy and loving Jesus.”

To avoid separating ourselves from God’s will, we must test everything to find out if it’s in and of God. The temptation to sin sometimes will seem very godly, especially when it comes from non-Christian sources that are telling us what is right and good. We must test every source, every mood, every motive, and even every attitude behind our prayers. If our prayer requests do not reflect Christ’s mood, his motives, and his attitudes — then it’s a worthless prayer. Of course God won’t give it to us! Or it’s a dangerous prayer, answered by the unholy.

For example, if we’re asking for a new job, God wants to lead us into employment that will meet our needs and give him opportunities to sanctify the workplace. When we pray for an increase of vocations, God wants us to discern and fulfill our own callings, too. If we ask for good health, God wants to purge us of whatever is unhealthy in our lifestyles that make us vulnerable to illness.

Miracles do happen. But God’s not interested in quick-fix, make-life-easy short-cuts that detour us from the path of spiritual growth. He grants miracles that increase our holiness and which will become testimonies of his mercy. Usually, such miracles take us on a long journey, but always, when we pray in God, he gives us whatever we ask in the best possible ways.

For more help on this topic, see our WordByte called: “Egads, prayer is hard work!” @ https://wordbytes.org/food-for-faith/prayer-is-hard-work/.

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