The Gospel of John 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 into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
Let Us Pray: God of everlasting light, in these days when the joy of Christ’s birth still lingers, we pause to marvel at the mystery of Your love— that You chose to dwell among us, to take on our frailty, to walk our roads, and to shine hope into every shadowed place. Amen. I used the John scripture again as it portrayed what this season is about. John opens his Gospel not with a manger, shepherds, or angels, but with eternity. He pulls back the veil and lets us glimpse the mystery behind all creation: Now Christmas Day has passed we can look back and get a different perspective on John’s Gospel. All the glitz and chaos of celebrating are gone for this year but here is how John puts it: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” That says a lot. It tells us that the birth of Jesus was the ultimate gift from God the Father. That gift was the true light. The light John proclaimed in his messages, Now that the end of the year is approaching, we can look forward and plan and think about the future and not so much about the past, We came through the four Sundays of Advent that showed us Hope for the future, The desire for Peace in the world, The Joy we have each and every day and the love of God. With these gifts we need to go forward out into the world and share with those who are less fortunate. Let us go forth into the world with the love of God in our souls.
Let us Pray As we step into the days ahead, let the light of Bethlehem burn steadily within us, a flame of hope for the weary, a beacon of justice for the forgotten, and a reminder that You are with us now and always. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 