Scripture Scribbles: December 25, 2022

the Gospel

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 to be through him,
        and without him nothing came to be.
    What came to be through him was life,
        and this life was the light of the human race;
    the light shines in the darkness,
        and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light, 
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but 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 to be through him,
        but the world did not know him.
    He came to what was his own,
        but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God, 
to those who believe in his name, 
who were born not by natural generation 
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision 
but of God.
    And the Word became flesh
        and made his dwelling among us,
        and we saw his glory,
        the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
        full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying, 
“This was he of whom I said, 
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me 
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses, 
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, 
has revealed him.

the devotion

Merry Christmas at last! The Nativity of our Lord. The day the world changed forever! The day the Word became flesh and dwelt among us! The Word….”and the Word was God”...God! He came!  He came as a beautiful little infant!

I can just imagine the sweet little heart shaped lips and the velvety soft head that fits perfectly under Mary's chin as she holds him close. I can picture my own infants, two of them were born in the month of December. Those Christmas mornings with a brand new baby are extra magical in my memory.  The gifts were all bought and wrapped way ahead of time and it was sleepy and sweet and more relaxing those years, because I couldn't leave anything to the last possible minute like I usually do. I can’t imagine a more perfect gift than a new born baby, it puts the world in perspective, at least for a few blissful moments! 

As I ponder the Nativity and think of Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus, I wonder what was Mary’s bliss like?  She had a beautiful, healthy, baby boy in her arms, but she also knew, this was our Lord. Our Savior was here and she was holding him in her arms! She’s not only a new mom, but the mother of the WORD! The WORD!  Don’t you love how John's Gospel starts?  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In the beginning… the beginning of what? The beginning of everything!! And here he is a helpless baby in his mothers arms, so long ago in Bethlehem.  He chose to be one of us, to point us to the Father. Fully human and fully divine. 

This year during Advent I was encouraged to read a beautiful Christmas sermon by Saint Leo the Great, one of the lines that rang out to me was, “…sadness should have no place on the birthday of Life”.  The birthday of Life itself, Christmas! We all have life because God willed us to be here at this very moment in time, not to be fearful or sad or worried, but to have faith and joy and hope…in HIM!  Let’s remember John 3:16,  ‘God so loved the world he gave us his only Son….’  So simple and so profound.  He so loved who? The World!  Each and every person that ever was and ever will be.  Do you feel loved by God?  Let yourself feel God's love today.  Give yourself permission to feel the delight He must feel in his very creation. YOU! You are His beloved! Let's begin today, and let it be our most joyous Christmas season ever!  Let's find delight in all the  moments, little and big, let's celebrate the gifts God has given us.  Let's Seek Him and let's delight in our seeking!  Let’s find Him, and delight in our finding!  

Warmest of Christmas Blessings to you and yours!

Today’s devotion was written by Beth Brennan