Reflection for Tuesday December 31 The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas: John 1:1-18

Gospel: John 1:1-18

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. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.   

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. And the Word became flesh 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.  

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.’ From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

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Reflection:

Do we perceive the presence Jesus in our life? Do we feel His abiding love and care? Jesus was born into this world for us. God so love us that He became human like us. He walked in this world and mingled with the ordinary people of His time. For what reason did God do this? The reason is none other than love, God so love us dearly that He willingly gave His only begotten son for us.  

Jesus descended into this world through Mary to let us know that He is not a distant God. To let us know that He is a God amongst us, a God who walks with us, a God who cries with us during our sorrows and pains and a God who is always there for us. 

If through His birth Jesus humbled Himself for us so that we may live and have life, in what way do we humble ourselves before God? Are we silently doing our share to help Jesus advance His mission in this world? Do we invite others to go to church for Holy Mass so that they too would feel the love of God? – Marino J. Dasmarinas