The true light

Listening to the Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.

Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listening to the Word

John 1: 1-18

IN THE BEGINNING 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

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”

This is the day. Now we celebrate his coming among us. Have we prepared for it? If yes, He comes; if not He comes in the same way. Not only for a select group but for everyone… “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”

One of the functions of light is to give color to all things. It's not difficult to imagine a world in black and white. One of my surprises these days was a Christmas card in black and white. The traditional image of the Holy Family that night in Bethlehem. As I was not the only one who received it and I came to know that almost all had the same reaction: 'too dark!' Then someone asks the one who made it why he made it in such a way. He, a young man, addicted to online games said: ‘in the world, there are light and darkness. Good and evil. Jesus came as a light for all. To transform all.' One can find the answer too simple but more simplicity than that night in Bethlehem when the true light came for everyone, and indeed few were able to recognize, nobody will find easily.

Many lights are shining around. Most of these shines are for selected people. Those able to go and spend time and money at the commercial centers. These lights are not for all. Beyond all those who cannot enjoy these temporal lights, yes in a few days there all will be gone. There are many others that don’t know yet this True Light. The true light which enlightens everyone.

Christmas is the celebration of this True Light that also gives true color. Not for a select group but for everyone.