Gospel: December 25, 2024
December 25, 2024 (Wednesday)
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
Psalter: Proper / (White)
Ps 98: 1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6
All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
1st Reading: Isaiah 52: 7-10
2nd Reading: Hebrews 1: 1-6
Gospel: 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 were made through him, and without him nothing came to be. Whatever has come to be, found life in him; life, which for human beings, was also light, light that shines in darkness, light that darkness could not overcome.
A man came, sent by God; his name was John. He came to bear witness, as a witness to introduce the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but a witness to introduce the Light; for the Light was coming into the world, the true Light that enlightens everyone. He was in the world, and through him the world was made, the very world that did not know him.
He came to his own, yet his own people did not receive him; but to all who received him, he empowers to become children of God, for they believe in his name. These are born, but not by seed, or carnal desire, nor by the will of man: they are born of God.
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; and we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father: fullness of truth and loving-kindness.
John bore witness to him openly, saying, “This is the one who comes after me, but he is already ahead of me, for he was before me.” From his fullness we have all received, favor upon favor. For God had given us the law through Moses, but truth and loving-kindness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God-the-only-Son made him known: the one, who is in and with the Father.
Reflection:
“The birth of our savior”
It’s Christmas! Our journey of faith continues. We ponder on the mystery of the Incarnation. Today’s pericope is the beautiful semi-poetic Prologue of John’s Gospel. It speaks of the Logos or the Word. This Logos became flesh and pitched his tent among us (cf. Jn. 1:14). In John’s Gospel, Jesus is the one who came from God and the one who is returning to God. In this whole dynamic process, moving from God to God, Jesus is bringing all of us back to God (cf. Jn 12:32). Furthermore, the pitching of his tent in us must also be taken dynamically. Thus, the Word became flesh and “pitched his tent” in us. The Logos, who became flesh, is always in a dynamic movement. The Logos is moving toward the fullness of life (cf. Jn 10:10). Life in its fullness is what God originally intends for his entire creation, both for humanity and the natural world. Until now, God continues to build his dwelling place among us. Now then, with the Logos coming into the flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, we have a leader to guide us back to Father. It is with God alone that we can experience life in its fullness.
