December 27, 2020: First Sunday after Christmas
John 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 into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he 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 into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
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. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1: 5). We are a world in need of light. Our country continues to struggle with its racial pandemic and our world with the Covid-19 pandemic. So much hatred and despair has been associated with our racial pandemic, and so much suffering and death with the Covid pandemic. It would be easy to lose hope in the face of so much darkness.
But two days ago we celebrated the birth of the Jesus who is “the true light, which enlightens everyone” (John 1: 9). His light, which embodies goodness and triumph over evil, is evident whenever we practice tolerance, love and inclusiveness toward others who are different from us. Jesus’ light is also present in the countless heroes who have cared for those who have suffered and died with Covid-19, and his light is present in the scientists who have worked to create a vaccine.
Throughout history, others have been sources of light in a darkened world. During World War II, Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who kept a diary as she and her family hid from the SS, wrote, “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech “I Have a Dream” continues to inspire and stir our hearts almost 60 years later. In 1994, Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
Moving forward to the present, it is important to ask: how are you going to be a source of light to our darkened world in 2021?
We need the light now there is too much darkness! Love and kindness now!
I completely agree, Betty! Thank you.