Christmas, Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (ABC) Day

 

December 25, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 52: 7-10

Psalm 98 “All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.”

Second Reading: Hebrews 1: 1-6

Gospel reading according to John 1: 1-18

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Homily:

In the beginning of the Bible, from the Book of Genesis, it says, “In the beginning . . .” (Gen. 1:1), which is also used or applied by the Evangelist John in his 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” (John 1: 1-2).  In the beginning, it was not void or empty or there was a lacuna, but there was already Word with God, and God the Creator was not alone, He had his Son present during his creation of heaven and earth, making all things out of nothing.  The Word, the Son of God called Jesus, was with God the Father, and the Son was also God.     

All created things from the very beginning were intended for the Son, the Word of God.  Nothing created did not belong to the Son.  Everything belonged to the Son.  “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” (John 1: 3-5).  The Son gave life to the things created in the world and outside the world.  He was the giver of life and he gave life to all creatures.  The Son of God was also the Light of the world overshadowed by darkness and of the valley of tears.  The darkness defied against the Light, but it did not overcome it, for He was God who created even light and darkness.

When the fullness of time came, God sent a man whose name was John [the Baptist] which means God is gracious, whose purpose for his coming was to introduce the Word, the Son of God, who is also the Light that will bring light to the dark world.  “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 he 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” (John 1:6-11).  John was not the Light, he was to give testimony to the Light so that many would believe the bearer of Light through him.  For the true Light who comes to the world will enlighten everyone.  He was already in the world but the world did not recognize him, nor did his own people accept him who He was.  “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” (John 1: 12-13).  However, those who accepted Him who he was, He made them children of God, heirs of God, for their elections were not made by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God’s choice and decision.

The Word became man and He lived among us. “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth” (John 1: 14).  John [the Apostle and Evangelist] saw and experienced the glory of the Son who was full of grace and truth when the Father’s only Son accompanied them and became their companion.

John [the Baptist] testified to him and even said to his listeners who he was.  “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” (John 1: 15-17).  John knew that he was sent from God, so he humbled himself and ranked himself lower, for the one who is coming already existed even though the world and the universe were not yet created.  He who is to come is full of grace and the source of grace.  If Moses was given the Law of God (the Ten Commandments), all graces and truth came through Jesus, the Son of God, who is also God.  No one saw God.  Only the Son of God who came from God (the Father and Creator) saw God.    “No one has ever seen God.  The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him” (John 1: 18).  The Son of God who is always at the side of the Father has revealed to us who is God and what we are with God.