The Gospel for the seventh day in the octave of Christmas is taken from John, first chapter, first through the 18th verse. 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 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.

He 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 using human choice, nor by man’s decision, but of God. And the Word became flesh.

He made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only begotten 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 begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him. When you look at the time of salvation history, from Adam and Eve until the coming of this moment that Christ entered the world, you can see such a radical, radical change.

What I love about John’s images is that they seem to be so clearly what we need to ponder and wonder. They’re not really easy to understand. But think of this. John is saying that he knows who the Messiah is and he knows especially his message. And the message is truth, and truth is light and life. It’s so important for us to meditate and wonder about how that works, because religion can be a burden.

But it’s actually the most amazing gift to know that we receive grace upon grace upon grace. What is grace? Unmerited love, what is life? Abundance of joy in experiencing this gift we have from God called our existence and light. The truth that keeps us out of darkness. That’s the gift we need to focus on.

After the music, I will close with a prayer. Satan. Foreign. Closing prayer. Father, there is no way we can fully understand who you are without you revealing who you are to us. Give us time.

Make us available to your wisdom. Help us to be not distracted by so many things and spend time listening, wondering, hoping, knowing that you will reveal what is real, what is true when we ask this. In Jesus name, amen.