Christmas Day
Reading: John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that darkness could not overpower.
A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.
The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.
The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.
John appears as his witness. He proclaims,
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me
because he existed before me.’
Indeed, from his fullness we have,
all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
It is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.
Reflection
We have shared an Advent pilgrimage with Mary and Joseph and now the wonderful day of Christ’s birth has arrived. We enter the cave of our hearts to welcome the incarnate Son of God. His coming was foretold by John at a time when the world was suffering from great political and social turmoil. John promised that no darkness could ever overpower his divine light. War and rumours of war scar our world today. Hunger, famine, economic upheaval and disease mar the lives of many. However, we do not journey alone for he is with us and wishes to share the joys and tribulations of our daily lives with us. At Christmas and Easter, the pope gives an Urbi et Orbi Blessing to the world. In the wake of the coronavirus Pope Francis walked alone in St. Peter’s Square at twilight in the rain and said the following words of hope "Faith begins when we realize we are in need of salvation. We are not self-sufficient; by ourselves we flounder: we need the Lord, like ancient navigators needed the stars. Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to him so that he can conquer them. Like the disciples, we will experience that with him on board there will be no shipwreck. Because this is God's strength: turning to the good everything that happens to us, even the bad things. He brings serenity into our storms, because with God life never dies."
As we celebrate Christ’s presence with us, let us move forward in hope as joyful co-creators sharing God’s unconditional love in our wounded world.
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