The light shines in the darkness

Listening to the Spirit

O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature
and still more wonderfully restored it,
grant, we pray,
that we may share in the divinity of Christ,
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

Listening to the Word

Jn 1:1-18

In the begining was the Word,and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. 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. 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 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.

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. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. 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. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

Reflection

That night almost at 11 o'clock, I received a message: "Can you anoint my husband Mino? He is in critical condition in Marikina Doctors Hospital.” I knew this couple always attending the earliest Sunday Mass. Despite curfew hours I took the bicycle and tried to reach the hospital. From afar, yes, I could see the light signs of the place but woe is me, the highway I was traveling was not the right one and it took me quite far before I could make a turn.

To make things worse it started raining; with a face mask and face shield on I was in a total mess. Anxious, lost, and wet, in a kind of self-pity state, I started asking the Lord for help so that I could accomplish my mission. I moved in another direction; the road became more familiar to me though quite far from the hospital. I climbed the flyover and a few kilometers away around midnight I found the access road to the hospital. When I arrived at the ICU, Celia was there crying; Mino in his bed under oxygen. I anointed him and gave communion to the wife. Sadly Mino passed away the following day in the morning.

Christmas is about our Savior and us. There will always be a light taking us there where important things are unfolding. No matter obstacles, darkness, discouragement, unforeseen events... there will always be a light taking you to where Jesus wants you to be. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Jn 1,5). Christmas tells us of the birth of a new life. Being with Celia and Mino was important for me, to witness in that very important moment of this family's history that indeed our life is a real journey towards God. The Word who in Jesus becomes flesh tells us that "Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die". Christmas this year comes in the midst of a pandemic that has severely conditioned our way of celebrating. However, the limitations imposed on us can help to appreciate silence and darkness. In a space we do not want to be, it is there where the word became flesh. Silence makes us hear the cry of a newly born baby, darkness makes us draw our attention for direction to the lighthouse. Our mission is engaged when despite confusion and noise we can discern how God is continuing to be present among us: the lesson rests in his birth at the outskirts of Bethlehem in the shepherd's field.