Reflections on Scripture | Christmas Day

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel
John 1:1-18

    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.
John testified to him and cried out, saying, 
“This was he of whom I said, 
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me 
because he existed before me.’”
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.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, 
has revealed him.

Reflection

When one understands what has happened, when this event that we just pondered and wondered about took place, something radical changed in the world. The possibility of human beings being able to reach their full capacity as human beings reflective of who God created them to be, was finally made possible.

And so what I ask you to do is just ponder this extraordinary story with wonder and curiosity and awe. We have now seen God. Something that never before could have been possible. We have seen Him. He has come to us in a person. And the most exciting thing about that is that that same miracle that happened in this person Jesus, is happening somehow like that in us.

That's the most amazing thing, we now carry within us this image of God, and everything He calls us to be, He enables us to be by His presence.

Closing Prayer

Father, the wonder of the Incarnation is something that is at the heart of everything that we are to understand about the Old Testament and its companion, the New Testament. Help us to live the life that is revealed to us in these stories. They have life, they have truth, they have light. Bless us with wisdom that flows from these beautiful words of Scripture and we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Kyle Cross