Dec 31 2005

Jn 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 himhe 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-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.
There is the greatest hope of the world the Son of God, the Word made flesh who has come to be our light in the darkness. Jesus is the way to life, peace, grace and light.

In the beginning the Word was God. Christ is present in the Word and is the Word and flesh. Human and divine a combination that opens our eyes to the light of God's love. Jesus is the fulfillment of the covenants of God with the people. It is a long love story of struggle, begin lost, salvation and love.

I suppose that everyone has there deserts and days of darkness. God reaches to us as we reach to God. It comes to mind the painting of creation with a mighty God with flowing beard and muscled arms reaching down to Adam. The strong and vulnerably seated on the earth Adam reaches lightly almost weakly up to God and the two first fingertips of their fingers touch ever so lightly. A powerful loving God with a light and gentle touch that comes to us even when we just very lightly and weakly reach to God.

The light is for me the presence of hope, the flame the Holy Spirit and the illumination the touch of the love of God in the heart. There is the presence of the Word with the flame of the pascal candle at the ambo and the candles at the alter for mass.

In a very general gut feeling meaning light is goodness and dark is troubles and sin. It goes with the old cowboy movie symbols of the "good guys" wearing the white hats and the "bad guys" wearing the black hats. Life never is really that simply and it is not always easy to see the light and goodness in a situation.

Three years ago this day, I was working in a Cancer Center and was urged by a nineteen year old patient who had bone cancer to make a New Year's Resolution. She was very much enjoying making resolutions and encouraged me to do so also. I made one that when anyone does something that upsets or opposes me that my attitude before going further into what was going on would be to assume first that the person had good intentions in what they did. I was glad that she had cajoled me into making a resolution that year and the resolution was most helpful in responding with love to others. I very much admired the spirit of that young woman who had many desperate struggles with the illness and reactions to treatments. I pray today for her wellness.

I will use that same resolution this year to assume the best about people first in situations.