Creation and Redemption: The Mystery of God's Word.
December 31, 2024 - Tuesday, The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
1 Jn 2:18-21; 96:1-2, 11-12, 13; John 1:1-18
Today we hear the beginning of the Gospel of John, known as the Prologue—a passage that gives us profound insight into God’s eternal plan and prepares us for the story of Jesus Christ. A prologue introduces events and relationships that frame the narrative, showing us what existed before the main story. Here, the Prologue of John reveals who Jesus truly is by describing the relationship of “the Word” with God, with the world, and with humanity.
First, we glimpse the intimate bond between God and the Word. “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1), signifying that, before time and space began, the Word already existed. This is an eternal relationship, without beginning or end. The Word is not a distant creation but is in the very heart of God—the “bosom of the Father” (John 1:18). The Word was not only with God but was God, revealing an inseparable unity. Through the Word, we encounter God’s own essence, known only by the One who is eternally united with Him.
Next, we see the Word’s relationship to the world. The Gospel tells us, “All things came into being through him” (John 1:3). God's Word is behind the creation of the universe, echoing Genesis, where God speaks creation into existence with, “And God said…” (Gen 1). Everything in the world, all life and beauty, originated through this divine Word, and it is by His will that all things continue to exist. The psalmist’s cry in Psalm 96, “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice” (Ps 96:11), celebrates this creative work.
Finally, John reveals the relationship between the Word and humanity—a bond that brings us to the heart of the Christian proclamation. The Word is life and light, attributes that only God can give, and He came to be “the light of all people” (John 1:4). This light “shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5), a promise of hope in a world overshadowed by sin and death. Through the Word, God reaches out to us, offering not only truth but grace and salvation. Yet, as John writes, while some accept this light and become “children of God,” others reject it, choosing to remain in the shadows.
It is this very Word, who existed from all eternity, who chose to “become flesh and dwell among us” (John 1:14). He entered our world, taking on our humanity to bring us God’s love and salvation. His coming changed everything. “The world is passing away,” writes 1 John 2:17, yet for those who abide in the Word, there is life eternal. To receive Him is to enter into a relationship of grace, to become children of God, heirs to eternal life.
The Prologue of John is more than a theological text; it is an invitation to transformation. When we recognize that Jesus, the Word made flesh, is life and light, we are called to embrace Him, allowing His truth to fill our hearts and direct our lives. Like the psalmist in Psalm 96, we are invited to “ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name” and to proclaim, “The Lord reigns!” (Ps 96:8, 10). The Word who entered our world invites us to leave the darkness behind and to live as His children, full of grace and truth, living in the light of His eternal love.