READING OF THE DAY First reading from the Book of Isaiah Is 52:7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!”
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry, together they shout for joy, for they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD restoring Zion. Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts his people, he redeems Jerusalem. The LORD has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God.
Second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews Heb 1:1-6
Brothers and sisters: In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say: You are my son; this day I have begotten you? Or again: I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me? And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY From the Gospel according to John Jn 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 shepherds of Bethlehem also tell us how to go forth to meet the Lord. They were keeping watch by night: they were not sleeping. They remain alert and attentive in the darkness; and God’s light then “shone around them” (Lk 2:9). “Let us go now to Bethlehem” (Lk 2:15). With these words, the shepherds set out. We too, Lord, want to go up to Bethlehem. Today too, the road is uphill: the heights of our selfishness need to be surmounted, and we must not lose our footing or slide into worldliness and consumerism. I want to come to Bethlehem, Lord, because there you await me. I want to realize that you, lying in a manger, are the bread of my life. I need the tender fragrance of your love so that I, in turn, can be bread broken for the world. Take me upon your shoulders, Good Shepherd; loved by you, I will be able to love my brothers and sisters and to take them by the hand. Then it will be Christmas, when I can say to you: “Lord you know everything; you know that I love you” (cf. Jn 21:17). (Homily, Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, 24 December 2018)
FAUSTI - With surprise we discover that He who loved to call Himself the Son of Man and proclaimed Himself the Son of God, is the Word who has always been with the Father and is God. This Word, witnessed by wise men and prophets and never known, became Flesh in Jesus, to reveal and give us His own Glory as the Only Begotten of the Father, so that, in Him, we may discover that we are God's children. The prologue is like the beginning of a symphony, in which the motives are preluded. In the history of theology it is like a mine of precious stones, from which the most important reflections on the Trinity and the Incarnation have been drawn. It is a hymn to the Word, Light and Life of everything, where what is said opens to the harmonies of the unspeakable. The word presupposes one who speaks, expresses himself and gives himself, and another who listens to him, imprints him and welcomes him within himself. The word implies two persons who enter into a relationship, into dialogue. It is born from the love of the one who speaks, corresponded by the one who listens: it is generated by love and generates love. For this reason, God, who is Love, is also Word. The Word is addressed not only to the Father, but also to the world: as it is love and life within God, it is also the source of love and life for every creature. Jesus, Word become Flesh, disposes of life in the same way as the Father. It is in fact the full gift of the Father to the Son, who will say: "I am life" (14:6) and "I have come so that they may have life and have it abundantly" (10:10). The world is created by the Word and Wisdom who precedes it, designs it and makes it, giving it its "imprinting" of otherness and relationship, of listening and response, of welcome and responsibility, of intelligence and freedom. Only in this perspective is the universe positively sensible, destined for life and happiness. It is said that God created with the letters of the alphabet. This means that every reality is understandable and communicable in words. Those who can "read" can understand, interact and bring everything to its full meaning. God, who with His Word is the beginning of everything, becomes the aim of everything, with the man who understands it. Only in him, created on the sixth day, does the Word, at work from the first day, find a hearing. He, with his response, brings creation to the seventh day, to God's rest, becoming himself like the Word. He was the true light" The implicit subject is always the Word, which is the "true" light, different from the false light of deceitful words that lead to death. Every man has within him the light of the Word. In spite of the unhearing, he is made for her, because he is made by her and of her. In his heart shines an inner light, unquenchable. It is the desire for truth and love , which leaves him restless until he has the joy of finding what he seeks. The Word, which is towards the Father, comes into the world as its life and light. This light, which is in everyone, is the most inalienable good of man and offers to everyone, even in the most personal and mysterious ways, to enter into dialogue with the Father. The becoming Flesh of the Word is the point of arrival of the history of God who communicates Himself to man. The eternal Word, which was addressed to God and is God, at a precise moment "became" Flesh. It changes the way in which God communicates with us. That which always was and is "became" man, participating in our mortal condition. Love either finds or makes like. God is Love and whoever loves gives himself totally. By becoming Flesh, His Gift is complete and definitive. The acceptance or non-acceptance of the Word, which since Eden is for man a matter of life or death, is the fundamental theme of John's Gospel. Whoever accepts the Word has the dignity of the Word itself: he "becomes" what the Word is. It is a process of transformation: the Word makes us become children, putting us in dialogue with the Father.
READING OF THE DAY
RispondiEliminaFirst reading from the Book of Isaiah
Is 52:7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
“Your God is King!”
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
for they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth will behold
the salvation of our God.
Second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews
Heb 1:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 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.
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
RispondiEliminaThe shepherds of Bethlehem also tell us how to go forth to meet the Lord. They were keeping watch by night: they were not sleeping. They remain alert and attentive in the darkness; and God’s light then “shone around them” (Lk 2:9). “Let us go now to Bethlehem” (Lk 2:15). With these words, the shepherds set out. We too, Lord, want to go up to Bethlehem. Today too, the road is uphill: the heights of our selfishness need to be surmounted, and we must not lose our footing or slide into worldliness and consumerism. I want to come to Bethlehem, Lord, because there you await me. I want to realize that you, lying in a manger, are the bread of my life. I need the tender fragrance of your love so that I, in turn, can be bread broken for the world. Take me upon your shoulders, Good Shepherd; loved by you, I will be able to love my brothers and sisters and to take them by the hand. Then it will be Christmas, when I can say to you: “Lord you know everything; you know that I love you” (cf. Jn 21:17). (Homily, Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, 24 December 2018)
FAUSTI - With surprise we discover that He who loved to call Himself the Son of Man and proclaimed Himself the Son of God, is the Word who has always been with the Father and is God. This Word, witnessed by wise men and prophets and never known, became Flesh in Jesus, to reveal and give us His own Glory as the Only Begotten of the Father, so that, in Him, we may discover that we are God's children.
RispondiEliminaThe prologue is like the beginning of a symphony, in which the motives are preluded. In the history of theology it is like a mine of precious stones, from which the most important reflections on the Trinity and the Incarnation have been drawn.
It is a hymn to the Word, Light and Life of everything, where what is said opens to the harmonies of the unspeakable.
The word presupposes one who speaks, expresses himself and gives himself, and another who listens to him, imprints him and welcomes him within himself. The word implies two persons who enter into a relationship, into dialogue.
It is born from the love of the one who speaks, corresponded by the one who listens: it is generated by love and generates love.
For this reason, God, who is Love, is also Word.
The Word is addressed not only to the Father, but also to the world: as it is love and life within God, it is also the source of love and life for every creature. Jesus, Word become Flesh, disposes of life in the same way as the Father.
It is in fact the full gift of the Father to the Son, who will say: "I am life" (14:6) and "I have come so that they may have life and have it abundantly" (10:10). The world is created by the Word and Wisdom who precedes it, designs it and makes it, giving it its "imprinting" of otherness and relationship, of listening and response, of welcome and responsibility, of intelligence and freedom. Only in this perspective is the universe positively sensible, destined for life and happiness.
It is said that God created with the letters of the alphabet. This means that every reality is understandable and communicable in words. Those who can "read" can understand, interact and bring everything to its full meaning.
God, who with His Word is the beginning of everything, becomes the aim of everything, with the man who understands it.
Only in him, created on the sixth day, does the Word, at work from the first day, find a hearing.
He, with his response, brings creation to the seventh day, to God's rest, becoming himself like the Word.
He was the true light" The implicit subject is always the Word, which is the "true" light, different from the false light of deceitful words that lead to death. Every man has within him the light of the Word. In spite of the unhearing, he is made for her, because he is made by her and of her. In his heart shines an inner light, unquenchable. It is the desire for truth and love , which leaves him restless until he has the joy of finding what he seeks.
The Word, which is towards the Father, comes into the world as its life and light.
This light, which is in everyone, is the most inalienable good of man and offers to everyone, even in the most personal and mysterious ways, to enter into dialogue with the Father.
The becoming Flesh of the Word is the point of arrival of the history of God who communicates Himself to man. The eternal Word, which was addressed to God and is God, at a precise moment "became" Flesh.
It changes the way in which God communicates with us. That which always was and is "became" man, participating in our mortal condition. Love either finds or makes like.
God is Love and whoever loves gives himself totally. By becoming Flesh, His Gift is complete and definitive.
The acceptance or non-acceptance of the Word, which since Eden is for man a matter of life or death, is the fundamental theme of John's Gospel.
Whoever accepts the Word has the dignity of the Word itself: he "becomes" what the Word is.
It is a process of transformation: the Word makes us become children, putting us in dialogue with the Father.