The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
Today’s Gospel is what is known in the traditional Latin mass as the Last Gospel. This reading is read, after the dismissal, at the close of each mass, every single day. Each day this reading offers a reminder of who Christ is, the word made flesh. This word is truth and this word is light. And this word who has been with and part of God from the beginning of time, chose to dwell among us - and to show us the way, if we make the choice to believe in him.
As we enter into this final day of the year, many of us will reflect back on this past year and we will see moments where we chose to follow the light of Christ, to accept him. And we will also see moments when we chose to reject him, to turn from the light.
And in the first reading John warns us about these moments. He speaks to us of the moments when we turned from the truth and listened to the lies of the world. And he warns us that this is the last hour. But John also gives us strength when he reminds us that “you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.”
We have been given the knowledge to know what is light and truth and of God and what is not. Through our own prayer and well-formed guidance from the church, we pray that we are able to discern the truth as well as to see the antichrists among us for who they are.
I pray that we each take advantage of the beautiful gift of forgiveness that we are given in the sacrament of reconciliation, to atone for the moments where we have turned from Christ. And as we begin a new year, a time of starting over and starting anew, may we strive to focus on the truth of Christ, the word made flesh. We could take a lesson from our past and from the Latin tradition and try to incorporate this reading from John into our lives every day – may we find a way to begin or end each day with the message of this Last Gospel – the truth of Christ.
“And the Word became flesh and 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.” Amen.
- Amanda Grimm