Light Into The World

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...(John 1:1-18)

Merry Christmas! Today we celebrate the Word. The beginning of Genesis gives us the clue as to the Word’s identity.  It reads: In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters. Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good. God then separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” Evening came, and morning followed—the first day…Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply…”

Genesis has God speak the Word.  God said many things – spoke many Words.  Jesus also said many things such as: “I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness…So what I say, I say as the Father told me” (John 12:46-50).  According to Koester (Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, 2003), “The Gospel emphasizes that Jesus’ proper work is to bring people to the light of life that comes from knowing God.”  We know God when we listen to God’s Word that brought us light and our role as human beings made in God’s image.  

We are all the Word that images God provided we separate light from darkness, tell truth and not lies.  The Word(s) we speak must never befoul and darken our mouths.  Darkness must not overcome us.

Deacon David Pierce