THE SEVENTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS - Gospel (John 1:1-18) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (Jn 1:14)

FIRST READING - 1 Jn 2:18-21

"But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one, and you all have knowledge."

A reading from the first letter of John

¹⁸ Children, it is the last hour;^[a] and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not really of our number;^[b] if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number. ²⁰ But you have the anointing that comes from the holy one,^[c] and you all have knowledge. ²¹ I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Jn 1:1-18

"The Word became flesh."

✠From the Gospel according to John

¹ In the beginning^[b] was the Word,    

and the Word was with God,    

and the Word was God.

² He was in the beginning with God.

^3 [c]All things came to be through him,    

and without him nothing came to be.

What came to be ⁴ through him was life,    

and this life was the light of the human race;

^5 [d]the light shines in the darkness,    

and the darkness has not overcome it.

^6 [e]A man named John was sent from God. ⁷ He came for testimony,^[f] to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. ⁹ The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world,    

and the world came to be through him,    

but the world did not know him.

¹¹ He came to what was his own,    

but his own people^[g] did not accept him.

¹² But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, ^13 [h]who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh^[i]    

and made his dwelling among us,    

and we saw his glory,    

the glory as of the Father’s only Son,    

full of grace and truth.

^15 [j]John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” ¹⁶ From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,^{[k] 17} because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God,^[l] who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

THE SEVENTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS - Gospel (John 1:1-18)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear people of God,

Today's Word of God, God reveals to all of humanity that the Word is God, who is the light of the world.

The Word has existed from eternity, and merely by one word spoken by the Word, all things and creatures in heaven and on earth were created.

Out of love for humanity, the Word became the Light that came into the world to enlightens and guide people on their path. The Word is the true Light, and this light will dispel darkness and drive evil out of humanity.

God desires everyone to come towards the light of the Word, for the light of the Word will lead humanity to a true love and complete truth, and this light will drive out the darkness, which is Satan himself, from the souls and bodies of humanity.

The Word is the true light that came into the world to dwell with humanity. The Word became human like all others. It is because of love that the Word came, accompanied, and remained with humanity in all places and at all times, even to this day.

Saint John the Baptist brought the light first to prepare the way for the Word to come into the world, to become human like all others, to accompany humanity, and the testimony of Saint John is the truth, that the Word, He who came into the world and dwelt among humanity.

No one possesses a love as sublime and great as God. Only in God can we find the love that brings life and happiness to humanity.

Those who come to the light and love of God will receive His teachings and guidance, for the Word is the image of God the Father, who came into the world to bring God the Father’s love and dwell with humanity.

What did He teach humanity? The very incarnation of the Word will be proven by His words, actions, and by His entire being, manifesting a perfect love, which is death on the cross, meaning He sacrificed Himself. He suffered death to redeem the sins of countless people.

God calls on humanity to look upon the love of Jesus Christ, which manifested when He came into the world to become human, taking the form of a servant, living as a human being, except for sin, and humbling Himself, obediently accepting death on the cross.

This very love has driven out darkness, driven out evil from humanity.

God is the God of light, the God of love. He does not bring death nor darkness to souls; instead, He sacrificed Himself and suffered death to exchange it for eternal life for humanity.

Whoever desires happiness, peace, and eternal life should turn to the Word, the Word who dwells among us in the world.

Let us open the door of our souls, open our hearts to receive the Word dwelling within our innermost being. That Word is manifested in the world today, which is the Word of God and the Bread of Life through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Thanks be to God. Amen