Meditation on John 1:1-18
from the Word Among Us for the Nativity of our Lord
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:14)
O you chosen of God, sing and exult with all the angels of heaven! The Word has been made flesh. He who was in the beginning with God, overseeing everything that came to be, has become man and lived among us. The longing of all of creation has been fulfilled, and the world is forever transformed.
O you redeemed of the Lord, rejoice! Grace and truth have come to earth in the person of Jesus. A child in a manger reveals the unfathomable glory of God. No longer do we rely only on his Law to know him. He has come to us, and in his presence we behold the depths of God’s love.
O you children of God, open your mouths in praise! We have beheld personally the glory of the Father’s only Son. His grace and truth were made visible to us in the mystery of his incarnation. He is no longer far off from us in our suffering and emptiness. He whom heaven itself cannot hold has taken on our flesh and dwelt among us.
O you beloved of God, bow down and worship the One who has made you his children! Kneel at the manger in awe that this humble baby holds in his person the power to take away all that separates you from God, to restore you to wholeness, and to open the gates of heaven for you.
O you enlivened by his life, celebrate! He has brought light and life where once there was darkness and death. The light of the world shines in the darkness, and the darkness will never overcome it. Victory is ours because Christ has come!
“Jesus, I receive your life today. I believe that you are the revelation of the Father, the Light of the World, the Word become flesh. I open my heart to you today—to you whom darkness cannot vanquish, to you who have conquered sin and opened the gates of heaven. Jesus, may I gaze upon your glory forever!”
