In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.

So begins the Gospel of John.

This preface to John’s Gospel, along with great Christological hymn found in the Second Chapter of Philippians, tell us much of what we need to know about Jesus.

It is an important lesson.

The importance of this lesson is exemplified in the fact that this Gospel is read every time the Traditional Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered, just after the dismissal. It is read aloud to remind us of the deep and awesome mystery we have touched. It reminds us that Jesus was not a moment in time, but the true nature of eternity. God among us.

Jesus is God. Jesus was from the beginning, co-eternal with the Father. He came and dwelt among us.

He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.

Jesus is the breath of God that moved across the waters. The breath of God that brought everything into being. There is nothing in existence that is apart from Him.

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.

Jesus gave us life, and not just life, but life that is perfect. Life that is at one with, and completely united to, God.

This life is the life of light – the life that is within each and every human being. The life we are called to, and the life we will experience in heaven. This is the fullness of life with God.

He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.

At a moment in history God became incarnate in the world in the person of His Son, Jesus. He was in the world.

Jesus, Who brought all things into being; Jesus, Who created a life of perfection, was in the world. He came down and dwelt among us.

The why is obvious. Because we have made and make choices that destroy the perfect life that was created for us. That brokenness needs repair. That brokenness needs healing. Without the healing Jesus brought, each of us would miss the sign, each of us would miss knowing God. Each of us would miss eternal life in heaven. We would be utterly alone.

We would be alone in bondage, not to men, but to the idea that there was no hope.

Jesus’ coming into the world changed that. We are not in bondage. We are free. Free to know God and live in unity with God.

He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

All but a few rejected Him, nailing Him to the cross. A cross He was born to accept. A cross He chose to take up.

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.

We stand here this Christmas day because we accept Him. The only Son of the Father. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God.

God who came to dwell among us.

He is ours and we are His, not based on our own study or desires, but because God called each of us by name.

He called, so we came to Him in the waters of baptism saying —I believe.— We came to Him and asked the Church to call the Holy Spirit down upon us in Confirmation. We said: —I believe.— By our belief we are born of God into the new life Jesus provided.

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.

He came in flesh and blood to give us grace in abundance, grace that comes from following the only truth that exists. He lived among us to teach us.

Each and every time we hear His word and stand in front of this altar we see His glory and receive His grace. Grace that draws us closer to God and brings us to perfect unity with God.

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.

He did not come to give us laws and regulations, but instead a new covenant in His blood. A gift freely given.

We must decide whether we will pay the entry price.

The cost is small, for in light of the magnificence of God, resplendent this day in His Son in the manger, we have the full assurance that God loves us beyond measure, and measures only our willingness to live in accord with all the things His Son has shown us.

No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.

Because of Jesus we know God, God face-to-face.

It is joyous news for the whole world. God is revealed to us, merciful, full of love and compassion, abundant in grace, offering us the light which darkness cannot overcome.

Take up the light you see this Christmas day. Believe and be born anew into the only life that matters.

Amen.