MONDAY HOMILY: The Word was Made Flesh

12/31/2012

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Father" (John 1:14).

Through the incarnation, which we are still celebrating liturgically during the Octave of Christmas, the world learns how close God wants to be to us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church identifies the reasons for the Son of God becoming man: Jesus saves us by reconciling us to God; he lets us know God's love; he is our model of holiness, and he make us partakers of the divine nature (see Catechism, nos. 465-460).

The Prologue concludes by asserting that Jesus is adding something new. Moses received the Law from God and gave it to the chosen people. Christ brings something altogether more transformative, the sharing of God's own life with us: his "grace upon grace" (John 1:16). The greatest gift of grace is knowledge of the Father. Through Christ, the Father is made known to us, and we are confirmed as his children, not just in name but also in fact (see I John 3:2).

St. John will develop all of these theological insights throughout the Gospel text. As we prepare to begin a New Year of grace, let us pray that these truths will develop in our minds and hearts, and lead us to a deeper communion with the Father.

Fr. Stephen B. Reynolds is pastor of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Sugar Land, TX, a suburb of Houston. You may visit the parish website at: www.SugarLandCatholic.com.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: St. John, Prologue of St. John, Prologue, Incarnation, Grace and Truth, Octave of Christmas, December 31, St. Theresa, Sugar Land, Fr. Stephen B. Reynolds

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1 - 1 of 1 Comments

alessandro moreira
4 months ago
The Prologue of the Gospel of St. John is also a philosophical text; it shows clearly that immense deep of our faith.

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