Mass Readings and Meditations “The Word Among Us” Tuesday, 31
December 2013
Meditation: John The Word Became Flesh
1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into
being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come
into being 4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people. 5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came
as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8
He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true
light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b]
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through
him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,[c] and his
own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in
his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of
blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have
seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[d] full of grace and
truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said,
‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) 16 From
his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was
given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has
ever seen God. It is God the only Son,[e] who is close to the Father’s
heart,[f] who has made him known.
Footnotes:
a. John 1:4 Or 3 through him. And without him not one thing came
into being that has come into being. 4 In him was life
b. John 1:9 Or He was the true light that enlightens everyone
coming into the world
c. John 1:11 Or to his own home
d. John 1:14 Or the Father’s only Son
e. John 1:18 Other ancient authorities read It is an only Son,
God, or It is the only Son
f. John 1:18 Gk bosom
7th Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
All things came to be through him. (John 1:3)
The story goes that a Catholic priest once visited the home of
Albert Einstein. This priest had read an article Einstein had written years
before, stating his belief that there must be an order and a plan to the
universe. The priest wanted to question Einstein on it, but Einstein wanted to
question him about the Mass. The priest explained transubstantiation, when
bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. He said it was similar to
Einstein’s theory of matter being transformed into energy. Einstein replied,
“Then this means that Christ is infinite and timeless.”
There is no evidence that Einstein converted to Christianity,
but perhaps he would have if he had meditated on today’s Gospel reading. For
John tells us that not only is God timeless and eternal, he is alive. He is not
just an impersonal force to be measured but a God of love. He sent his Son,
Jesus, his living Word, to save us so that we could live as his children. In
Jesus, our lives have meaning and purpose. In him we can know where we came
from and where we are going. In him the universe finally makes sense!
Albert Einstein spent his whole life trying to understand time
and space. Where did we come from? Where are we heading? How does it all hold
together? These are all excellent questions for a physicist. But they are also
perfect questions for us everyday people to ponder as we sit before the Lord in
prayer or Eucharistic adoration.
Especially today, the last day of the year, place yourself in
the presence of the timeless, eternal, ever-present Word of God. Let him show
you who you are, where you came from, and even more important, where he wants
to take you. Believe that the God who is before all time—the author of time
itself—has redeemed your past. He has your future in his hands. And he is
walking with you every step of the way. So surrender yourself to him. Trust
him, and let him breathe eternity into your heart.
“Lord, today I offer you my life, all my plans and dreams. Come
and reign over my heart, Lord, and direct all my paths in the coming year.”
Amen!
1 John 2: Warning against Antichrists
18 Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that
antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that
it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us;
for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by going
out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. 20 But you have been
anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge.[a] 21 I write to you,
not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know
that no lie comes from the truth.
Footnotes:
a. 1 John 2:20 Other ancient authorities read you know all
things
Psalm 96: Praise to God Who Comes in Judgment
1 O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all
the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation
from day to day.
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and
all that fills it;
12 let the field
exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord;
for he is coming,
for he is coming to
judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with
his truth.
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