Today is the Fourth Day of Christmas and the First Sunday after Christmas Day
Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the First Sunday after Christmss Day: All Years
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
These words are the beginning to what we call the Prologue to the Gospel according to John. It does my heart and faith good to stop and read these words from time to time regularly.
It was a clergy person of another denomination (Lutheran) who traveled to Virginia Theological Seminary and made my Episcopal Seminary class slow down and hear what was “not” being said. In the beginning was the Word, not the book. The book, and that means the Bible, like our houses of prayer, are man-made. While the greatest of human effort was made to ensure all glory is attributed to God, the Bible and our Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, and Temples are imperfectly human made.
The One Who has no beginning created our beginning. This opening of John is reminiscent of the opening of Genesis. Perhaps this was John’s intent. In this opening of John, we also have a creation story, “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being” (John 1:3). From this I gather that the Word proclaimed, and life, all life, came into being. This Word, this Breath, of God is the same part of God who also worked with Mary and walked among us.
Then, in all unassuming nature, the Creating Word walked among us as one of us and we did not see that there was something different about this Person. But when we listen to the words of the Eternal, Creating Word, we are awakened into an everlasting light; the light of love, love, both for God and for one another.
It does us good to read the first 18 verses of John from time to time throughout the year. Merry Christmas: Day 4
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: First Sunday after Christmas Day: (BCP p. 213)
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
onewhoponders 