Word to the Wise
Tuesday, December 31, 2024 - Dec. 31 - 7th Day in the Octave of Christmas
[1 John 2:18-21 and John 1:1-18,281]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......And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth....From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace. [John]
The contrast between the "infancy narratives" in the Gospels According to Matthew and Luke and the "Prologue" to the Gospel According to John is startling in many respects. There are no annunciation(s), no stable, no star, no shepherds, no Magi, no flight to Egypt - in short, none of the images that we associate with the liturgical/popular Christian celebration of Christmas! What the Gospel According to John does is to "transcend" the physical scene of Jesus' birth and focuses on its theological significance. Those of us who can remember the Mass before Vatican II may remember that every Mass concluded with "the last gospel," which was the Prologue to the Gospel According to John with the genuflection at the words: Et Verbum caro factum est!
Since the Gospel According to John was composed at least 60 or more years after the death of Jesus, it represents a lot of reflection on the significance of God becoming human and living and dying in history. Theologians and scripture scholars write big books and commentaries on the Prologue itself. The ordinary pewperson is likely to be more interested in Baby Jesus and the nativity scene! New Year's Day, January 1st, focuses on Mary and her special role. The BIG picture of the Prologue is no longer as controversial as it once was, and gets relegated to the Nicene Creed, recited on Sundays and big feast days. I hope I can challenge the Beloved Congregation to take a few moments to read slowly through the Prologue which forms the gospel scripture for today. It truly explains why Jesus is also called "Christ." From his fullness we have all received.... AMEN