beings, was also light, light that shines in darkness, light that darkness could not overcome. (...) for the Light was coming into the
world, the true Light that enlightens everyone. He was in the world, and through him the world was made, the very world that did not know him.
He came to his own, yet his own people did not receive him; but to all who received him, he empowers to become children of God, for they believe
in his name. These are born, but not by seed, or carnal desire, nor by the will of man: they are born of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us; and we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father: fullness of truth and loving-kindness. John bore witness to him openly,
saying, “This is the one who comes after me, but he is already ahead of me, for he was before me.” From his fullness we have all received, favor upon
favor. For God had given us the law through Moses, but Truth and Lovingkindness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God-the-only-Son
made him known: the one, who is in and with the Father.

Reflection:

READ: The gospel of John opens
with the majestic hymn to the Word
that was made flesh. The Word is the
principle of creation and the light
that can never be vanquished by
darkness. John came to testify to
the light that is with God the Father
since the beginning of time.

REFLECT: This prologue of John
sets the tone of the gospel he
wrote. John seeks to highlight the
divinity of Jesus so much so that he
becomes identified with the eagle.
An animal believed by the ancients
to have the capacity to look at the
sun directly without experiencing
temporary blindness. Among
the gospel writers, only John
extensively highlights the divine
nature of Jesus Christ. Thus, his
gospel is set apart from the other
three that has lots of common
features. And perhaps, no other
gospel writers put the Incarnation
of the Son of God in a beautiful
way. What we have in the other
three gospels are stories of the
birth or childhood of Jesus Christ.
But in John, the Incarnation is a
marvelous process where the traffic
between heaven and earth in a
most marvelous way is highlighted.
The birth of Jesus is not only a story
among many other birth stories but
an event that changed the course of
heaven and earth forever.

RESPOND: The gospel of John is
a fascinating gospel to read. Why
don’t you make it a point to read the
gospel from start to finish before
the year ends? This would be a good
preparation to greet the coming of
the new year.