Daily Reflection Christmas Wednesday

    “A people who walked in darkness has seen a great light; for those in a land of deep gloom, a light has shone.” Our liturgy today begins with these words from Isaiah. I can’t help but make the connection between our “world of deep gloom” of multi-national wars and terrors. Yet, the prophet assures us that a light has shone. In his first letter, John the evangelist writes that the Father has given us so much love that we may be called God’s children. Being included in the family of God can be a two-edged sword. We can reject the invitation and live in a state of uneasiness and turmoil. Or we can accept this tremendous love that God has for us and live the mystery. In our relationship with God, the word “mystery” does not connote a puzzle to be solved. No, God invites us into the depths of the Incarnation. We are not solving a problem; we are entering into a deeper friendship with our God. Each time we reflect on what God has done for us in becoming human, we plumb the depths of what that means for us in our daily living.

    We all live in different homes, circumstances, political affiliations, economic situations. Yet, we are all called to bring about that “light” that Isaiah describes. I recommend that all of us spend some private time during this liturgical Christmas season to evaluate our thinking about the “deep gloom” that we observe in our world, as well as, the “deep gloom” in our own hearts. What part of the gloom is our own making, or are we asked to help relieve the material and emotional poverty in others’ lives? 

    Today’s gospel according to John was written by the community of John years after Jesus’ resurrection. This community of believers wanted future followers of Jesus to know and to live Jesus’ words which center on an unselfish love—not only for ourselves but also for each other. Here we have John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, whom we had met before his birth when Mary visited her cousin, Elizabeth. John is preparing us for Jesus’ teachings. He is preparing us to learn from Jesus who does not emphasize obeying laws because they are laws. No, Jesus is focuses on an unconditional love. We obey laws because they are a guide for justice in interpersonal relationships. Yet, if we who walked in darkness have seen a great light, we follow that light of acceptance, understanding, and generosity.  If John the Baptist were with us today, he would tell us to immerse ourselves in that Light and then follow.

In the beginning was the Word,

The word was with God and the Word was God.

Without him nothing came to be.

To his own people he appeared, and many would not follow him.

Yet those who trusted he made beloved children of our God.

And the Word took flesh and made his dwelling in our midst.

The glory we see: God’s Son, full of grace and truth.

                                                                                    --paraphrased by Tim and Peter Valentine