Friday, December 25, 2009

The Christmas Light that Overcomes the Darkness in Your Life

A Blessed, Holy, & Merry Christmas to all of you. The words of the first chapter of the Gospel of John to me are the most beautiful verses ever written. Take a moment and read them slowly. Jesus is the light that overcomes all darkness, no matter what that darkness is in your life. Though we bear gifts to one another and the wise men came bearing gifts, it is Christ who brings the the true gift of eternal life. As John says He gave us the power to become children of God, not by anything we do but by the enormity of His love. Although He was not recognized or accepted by even His own creation, and still to this day that is the case, we have the opportunity to better know Him and to grow in love everyday. Let us all see His glory, for today the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

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.

2 comments:

Maria said...

After my Mother died several years ago, my sister found this in my Mother's Bible:

"And now God says to us what he has already said to the world as a whole through his grace-filled birth: " I am here. I am with you. I am your life. I am the gloom of your daily routine. I weep your tears. I am your joy. Do not be afraid to be happy, for ever since I wept, joy is the standard of living that is really more suitable than the anxiety and grief of those who think they have no hope. When the totals of your plans and of your life's experiences do not balance out evenly , I am the unsolved remainder. And I know that this remainder, which makes you so frantic, is in reality my love that you do not understand. I am present in your needs.

This reality--incomprehensible wonder of my limitless love--I have shletered safely in the cold stable of your world. I am there. I no longer go away from this world, even if you do not see me now...I am there. It is Christmas. Light the candles. They have more right to exist than all the darkness. It is Christmas. Christmas that lasts forever."

Merry Christmas,

Maria

Maria said...

The above reflect the thoughts of Karl Rahner SJ on the Christ Child.