John 1:1-14 (New Revised Standard Version)   (v. 1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (v. 2) He was in the beginning with God. (v. 3) All things came int…

John 1:1-14 (New Revised Standard Version)

(v. 1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (v. 2) He was in the beginning with God. (v. 3) All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being (v. 4) in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. (v. 5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (v. 6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (v. 7) He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. (v. 8) He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. (v. 9) The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. (v. 10) He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. (v. 11) He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. (v. 12) But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, (v. 13) who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. (v. 14) And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

1. Description of the Liturgical Moment

On Christmas, the shopping mobs in the malls may sing “Santa Claus is coming to town” but the real good news on Christmas is that God comes to save the town and the whole world. Christmas is the time when people rejoice that the promised Messiah has come—God comes to us in the human flesh of Jesus Christ. Christmas asserts that the incarnation of God is a reality. This incarnation sparks celebration in many churches. The reason for rejoicing is that God was not so high that God would not stoop low to save us. God is with us with glory, grace, truth, life, and light.