The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Among Us"

Today's Mass Readings

“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.” This line from today’s gospel reading beautifully expresses the mystery of Christmas, but it does it in a way very different from the infancy narratives to which we are accustomed. In describing Jesus as the Word of God, it provides another, perhaps more mystical, snapshot of the nativity. The Word, that is Jesus, was with God from the beginning and the Word was God. In other words, Jesus has always existed, and has always been God. John came to testify to the coming of the incarnate Word of God. And, indeed, God came to dwell among us, the image of the invisible God in our midst. During this octave of Christmas, we continue to reflect upon the Incarnation and the Nativity. Our God who is so powerful chooses to come to us as an infant. God chooses to become flesh and live with us – some translations even say “set up his tent among us.” This is a supreme act of love; God is willing to take on human flesh in order to free us from our sins by his life, death, and resurrection. It is a tremendous gift that we ought never to forget. Even in our day-to-day life we must attempt to remember the wondrousness of God’s becoming flesh and dwelling among us. One constant reminder we have of God among us is the Eucharist, Jesus’ real presence which we receive each week. Before receiving the Eucharist, we say “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” These biblical words connect the nativity and the Eucharist. Both with Jesus’ birth and with the Eucharist, we find ourselves as sinners, unworthy to “receive” Jesus (literally it is “unworthy to let you enter under my roof”). And yet, with God’s word, we are healed! When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, we saw his glory, full of grace and truth!

Let us praise the Lord for the gift of himself, as he comes to us first, as the babe in the manger and second, as he comes to us in the Eucharist!

- Maria Morrow