The Word Made Flesh

Homily for the Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

Almost all of us are old enough remember when every Eucharistic liturgy ended with this particular Gospel passage. It was even called “The Last Gospel.” This passage points to the central truth of who Jesus Christ is. Jesus Christ is the eternal Word of God, the one through whom all things came to be, the light of the world, the truth, the son of God. The earth-shattering claim Christians make is that this divine person became human, lived among us, united himself to his creation, embraced our weakness and our earthiness, and through it all revealed the presence and glory of God.

St. John’s words in the opening chapter of his gospel help us to realize that nothing in this world can ever be the same since the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. There is no longer any separation between us and our Creator, and John repeatedly emphasizes how the Son’s presence among us throws everything into stark contrast: light and darkness, truth and falsehood, of heaven and of the world. This light even reveals this division in ourselves. On the one hand, we realize that we are good and infinitely valuable in our Father’s eyes; on the other, we stand convicted of all our self-centered mindsets and habits that still oppose God’s will.

Comfortable compromise with the world is no longer an option. We can either belong to light or darkness, and every decision we make either brings us closer to Christ or takes us further away from him. This is cause for rejoicing, not anxiety. For not only has God given us the way, we have God’s assurance that God will always be with us on that way.

Some may think of the Incarnation as something that happened thousands of years ago. However, for those who believe that Jesus is The Word of God, the Incarnation is not a solitary event but a constantly evolving mystery. Jesus is incarnate each and every time that we set aside our own will and embrace God’s will. Every time we obey the commandment to love one another, Jesus is present in our midst. Every time that we gather together in his name, Jesus once again breaks open God’s Word and the bread of the Eucharist. On this last day of the year 2022, let us give thanks for the continuing mystery of the Incarnation, Immanuel, God among us.