A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
Today’s Gospel begins with the first words of the first chapter of John’s Gospel: “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.” The Word, Emmanuel, who was with God from the beginning came into the world through God. John says his own people did not accept him, as there will always be those who don’t accept him. But those who do believe in his name have power to become children of God, not by their choice but by God’s grace. The wording in today’s Gospel deserves rereading after rereading and never fails to nurture and edify. How can I remember just the few words “power to become children of God . . . nor by a man’s decision but of God.”?
God, help me understand the words John crafted through the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” Jesus, Emmanuel, you are and always have been consubstantial with the Father, one with Him; through Him, all things come to be so that you are itself “light [that] shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” To pray these words from the Nicene Creed is to profess the desire to be one with the Word: “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, one in being with the Father.” Incarnate Word, you are the light of the human race.
Lord, what lies hidden in mystery from the beginning you reveal to me in the infant Jesus. “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” born of Mary, ever virgin. In saying Jesus’ name, I take to the way of belief and pray for constancy in the moments of unbelief. Stay with me, Lord!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.