2019 12 31 Reflection 742 (Bro. Johnson Khalkho OP on Jn. 1: 1-18)

Like us on facebook at   / dominicanministriesgoa   write to us: [email protected] Website: www.dominicans.in The word became flesh and dwelt among us. My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ As we are in the last day of the octave of Christmas, it is very much important for us to reflect on God’s incarnation because the Word which existed right from the beginning has become flesh and dwells among us as our saviour. In today’s Gospel St. John presents to us that the Word that was made flesh and lived among us to fulfil the mission that all people may have life and light in Him. Hence Jesus’ birth is the greatest gift of our Father in heaven to each one of us. As we read in the Gospel of St John Chapter 3 verse 16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” This process of Divine being becoming a human is called Incarnation. We may ask a question as to why did the Son of God or the Word become human? There are mainly two reasons. First, so that we may know His great love for us. As St. John in chapter 15 verse 13 says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” In fact, Jesus Himself is the love and the way who stretches out His arms to accompany us in our journey. As Jesus said in the Gospel of St. John chapter 14 verse 6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The second reason would be to know Him and to live a holy life. The knowledge of God is another aspect for us to fall in love with the person of Christ. And when we are in love, we gradually strive to live a holy life as our Lord is holy. Hence God in His own grace makes us saint and angel. As St. Thomas Aquinas said, “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods”. My dear brothers and sisters, thus with the Incarnation of the Son, God our Father has opened for us the way to the new life by accepting His love and by growing in His knowledge. Let us open up our hearts to receive Emmanuel, God with us. In this season of Christmas, Lord, you sent your only Son to live among us. Lord help us to grow in your love and bring us to a greater holiness. Amen.