Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Jn 1: 1-18
December  25, 2023 | Monday

Today’s Gospel

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 were made through him, and without him nothing came to be. Whatever has come to be, found life in him; life, which for human beings, was also light, light that shines in darkness, light that darkness could not overcome.

A man came, sent by God; his name was John. He came to bear witness, as a witness to introduce the Light, so that all might believe through him.

He was not the Light, but a witness to introduce the Light; 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 Loving-kindness 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.

Today’s Reflection:.

It’s Christmas day and curiously, our gospel passage today is notb taken from the Lukan or the Matthean infancy narratives but from the prologue of John’s gospel which happens to be a line from the Angelus which we are all familiar with: “…and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

For others, their image of God is portrayed as a god seated on a throne of clouds, residing in heaven and looking down on us poor mortals here on earth. But today’s gospel debunked all this thinking. God became man in Jesus and “pitched his tent” with us. God does not live in a faraway kingdom or palace. Instead, He is with us and He is for us. Today, let us reflect on this nearness of God in us. As we venerate the image of the Child Jesus in our cribs at home or in the parish church, let us not forget that this scene is a constant reminder of God’s proximity to us. God is close to us. May we always trust and hold on to this astounding reality!

Today is also the 40th Canonical Erection Anniversary (Ruby Jubilee) of the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu de Filipinas, an offspring of the old Augustinian Province of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus de Filipinas (the Most Holy Name of Jesus of the Philippines). The Province today serves 15 Communities and 4 residences in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao plus more than 20 friars are assigned to missions abroad. May Señor Santo Niño de Cebu, Titular of our Augustinian Province, continue to bless our Province and its friars!.  / Vulnerasti, 2023