God United to Creation

Homily for Tuesday of the Second Week in Christmas

Two years ago, on Christmas Day 2021, The James Webb Space Telescope was launched by rocket into the starry expanse of outer space, seeking to discover the first light in the universe, the assembly of galaxies in the early universe, the birth of stars and protoplanetary systems and planets (including the origins of life.) The pictures that this telescope has sent back to us over the past two years have been incredibly beautiful and have brought us knowledge of the various universes that exist beyond our own. However, though we have gained much more insight into the created stars and planets of our own universe and others, the one thing that this telescope will never give us is the image of the one who has created these universes. In order to see God, we need not look out from our planet to others, for our God has become incredibly close.

As John tells us in his first letter, God was born into human flesh and has united himself with his creation, granting us all the opportunity to not only experience God’s grace, but to become co-heirs through our baptism in Jesus Christ. We participate in Christ’s priestly, prophetic, and kingly mission in order to bring about the fullness of God’s kingdom.

In the Gospel, we are told of the day when John the Baptist pointed to his cousin, a fellow human being, and affirmed that this was Jesus, the Lamb of God, the son of God, upon whom the Spirit rested and remained. St. John’s Gospel is the only one of the four Gospels that does not contain a narrative account of the baptism of Jesus. The evangelist did not feel it necessary to do so. Rather he related what he had seen and heard at the River Jordan, the Holy Spirit resting upon Jesus and the voice of God proclaiming that this was his beloved son.

We will soon come to the end of the Christmas season. No doubt we will start to put away all of the beautiful decorations that have beautified our home. However, let us not put away the gift we have received as we have celebrated once again this incredible gift of God among us.