Christmas Day readings are:
Isaiah 52:7-10
Hebrews 1:1-6
JOHN 1:1-18
Since today’s gospel is pure poetry, take a few minutes to meditate on it. Read it through for a second time, slowly. Circle any words that stand out, then focus on how your heart feels as you think about each word.
John teaches that Jesus pre-existed as God long before He existed as a human being. Semites believe our words reveal who we are. So when John refers to Jesus being God’s word from “the beginning,” he’s assuring us that no one can, or has revealed God’s personality better than Jesus.
This means real Christians never begin their understanding of God with a dictionary or catechism definition. We begin and end our quest with an experience of the risen Jesus among us. To experience Jesus is to experience God.
Not only did we old-timers stand reverently and listen (in Latin) to this last Gospel, we were expected to genuflect along with the priest when he proclaimed the verse, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (Some scholars translate the last phrase, “He pitched his tent among us.”) God’s word completely became one with us.
Along with zeroing in on the terrific things John says about Jesus, we must also hear the terrific things he says about us who follow Jesus. “Any who did accept him he empowered to become children of God....Of His fullness we have all had a share — love following upon love.” All who imitate Jesus become one with Jesus. We now relate to His Father as He does, and we share in the same love He came to share with others.
Centerpiece
The author of Hebrews couldn’t agree more (Hebrews 1:1-6). He refers to Jesus as “the reflection of the Father’s glory, the exact representation of the Father’s being....” But he also makes Jesus’ arrival the centerpiece of salvation history.
“In times past, God spoke in fragmentary and varied ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in this, the final age, he has spoken to us through his Son, whom he has made heir of all things and through whom he first created the universe.”
Though Isaiah is thinking about the Israelites’ return from exile when he proclaims the words of today’s first reading (Isaiah 52:7-10), all people of faith, at any point in salvation history, can identify with his sentiments. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the one who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation....”
Perhaps we can best get into the spirit of our three readings by thanking God for the good news being proclaimed in our midst — not just the good news of Jesus’ birth, but also the good news of the risen Jesus continuing to reveal God’s self.
Since Jesus makes us God’s children, can we presume God’s also revealing God’s self through us? If that’s true, we have a responsibility as children to listen to that revelation.
THE DUDE ABIDES Jn 15:4
For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not want to understand, no explanation is possible.
Jim Krieger
Lay Mystic
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