Gospel Reading: Jn 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be
through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH
These are the famous words in John’s gospel that refer to the Incarnation. The Word, who in the beginning is with God and is God, is Jesus. Jesus is the Word who becomes flesh and makes his dwelling among us (literally, pitches his tent among us). We, Catholics, recite this mystery in the Angelus three times a day. John clearly proclaims Jesus’ divinity. Jesus is both God and man. From the point of view of humans, this is untenable. His town mates know Jesus as an ordinary man, not as God. They do not recognize him as such. But in John, Jesus is also divine. If we believe in the gospel of John, there should be no question about the divinity of Jesus or the mystery of Incarnation. In John, Jesus does not start as a little child, but as an adult person with full capacity to do God’s work, unlike in Matthew and Luke. Another important person in the introductory passage of John is John the Baptist. His name appears in all the four gospels. His role is to give witness to Jesus. When Jesus begins his public ministry, John the Baptist first introduces him to the people. He points Jesus out to them.
Christmas celebrates the Word becoming flesh, God pitching his tent among us. Do you believe that Jesus is God? Read the passage again.
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SOURCE: “366 Days with the Lord,” ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.