FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
OUR THEME FOR 2024
(PART 6)
THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS
December 25, 2023
Today’s gospel: John 1:1-18
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. We view this truth and reality with eyes of faith, and see that it is all about eternity. What had always been, even before the creation of the world. What is now, with us living lives of faith while in this world. What will be, as we look to heaven and being there with God for all eternity.
Yesterday, in view of eternity, is about the pre-existence of Jesus, who is God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (v.1). Jesus is the eternal Word. God has always existed, outside of time. God has no beginning. God always was.
Today, as we celebrate Christmas, we look to the coming of Jesus into the world. “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (v.14a). This is a profound reality, that God became man. Every year we celebrate this reality. Jesus is not just some God out there whom we could never relate to, being mere human beings. But Jesus became a human being himself. “He was in the world” (v.10a) and he walked the earth he created. He touched people and people touched him. He always is, as he now lives in our hearts.
Forever, in light of eternity, is to see God the Father, when we go to heaven. “No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.” (v.18). We have seen Jesus, who is God, as man. And Jesus has revealed God the Father to us. But no one has seen God the Father. Even the great Moses, when he asked God to see His glory, was told by God, “But you cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live.” (Ex 33:20). Jacob, who wrestled with a divine being, did claim, “I have seen God face to face” (Gen 32:31b), but Jacob prevailed over him and did not let him go. No one can prevail over God. Now Moses did speak to God before the exodus and at Mount Sinai. After Moses’ encounter with God, his face was radiant, and he had to cover his face with a veil. Did Moses really see God or just His glory? For us, Paul assures us that “at present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face.” (1 Cor 13:12a). John tells us that “when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 Jn 3:2b). When we enter heaven, we will be perfectly holy, as God is holy, and we will see and be with the Father for all eternity.
And so Christmas is profound. It is not just merrymaking and gift-giving. But it is merry precisely because God has given Himself to us as a gift. And the implications of Jesus’ coming into the world are profound.
– Jesus is “the light (that) shines in the darkness” (v.5a). We were once in darkness, now in Jesus we are in the light. We should always remain in that light, if we want to make it to heaven.
– “…. and the darkness has not overcome (the light).” (v.5b). The dark forces of the enemy will always try to take us away from God. The devil is very successful in doing this. We can only truly resist if we remain in the light.
– “The true light (is what) enlightens everyone” (v.9a). Today there is a lot of confusion even within the Church, as modernists try to give new heretical meaning to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. If we are to remain enlightened with the truth, we must know the Bible, the apostolic Tradition, and the authentic Magisterium of the Church.
-Jesus “was in the world …. but the world did not know him.” (v.10a,c). How tragic! Though Christians today are supposed to make up one-third of the population of the world, most of these are nominal, cultural, unknowing of authentic faith, living not according to the ways of God. We must do our part in proclaiming Christ and his salvation.
– “He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.” (v.11). This is even more tragic. God chose a people for His own and entered into covenant with them. These were the Jews. Even Jesus was a Jew. But many did not accept Jesus and even crucified him. Today Jews are still awaiting the Messiah, who has already come. Today Israel has become a secular state, even a center for LGBT. Today, the Jews who endured genocide by the Nazis are committing genocide against the Palestinians. We must pray for Israel, and look to how the Jews can finally accept Jesus as Messiah and Savior.
– “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name.” (v.12). This is the good news of salvation in him. This is the essence of Christmas. We believe in the Lord Jesus and we are saved (Acts 16:31). We repent and believe in the gospel (Mk 1:15). We confess that Jesus is Lord (Rom 10:9-10). In Jesus, we have become the children of God, and we are destined to see our Father in heaven face-to-face.
– “From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace” (v.16). Our faith in Jesus enables God’s fullness of grace to be poured out upon us.
Once again, Merry Christmas to you all.
