Reflection for  SATURDAY, Seventh Day Within Octave of Christmas.

By

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Director, Social Action Movement, Don Bosco Bidar

Today's Gospel Verses 

John 1:1-18 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)  Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known 


Meditation on the Word of God 

In life, there is always a beginning and an ending, an opening and a closing.

Twelve months ago, we began a new year with wondering and pondering what lies ahead as the year unfolds.

Today as we come to the last day of the year, we close off with recalling and reminiscing about the experiences of the past twelve months.

But in life, every ending leads to a new beginning, and every closing follows on to a new opening.

So tomorrow we begin a new year and we will wonder and ponder about how the year will unfold.

But with God, there is no beginning or ending, no opening or closing.

And His love for us is everlasting and His love took on flesh in Jesus Christ.

May our beginning and ending be with Jesus, and whatever we open or close be in Jesus.

Then, from His fullness, we will receive grace upon grace and blessing upon blessing.

With that, we will journey on with faith and into the future with hope.

GOD BLESS YOU

Good morning. Have a wonderful last day of the year filled with gratitude.