The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to recall the progress we have made in our transformation as followers of Christ in deeper experience of grace and truth in the past year.
The reading from the First Letter of John is a warning against Antichrists.
* [2:18] It is the last hour: literally, “a last hour,” the period between the death and resurrection of Christ and his second coming. The antichrist: opponent or adversary of Christ; the term appears only in 1 John–2 John, but “pseudochrists” (translated “false messiahs”) in Mt 24:24 and Mk 13:22, and Paul’s “lawless one” in 2 Thes 2:3, are similar figures. Many antichrists: Matthew, Mark, and Revelation seem to indicate a collectivity of persons, here related to the false teachers.
* [2:19] Not really of our number: the apostate teachers only proved their lack of faith by leaving the community.
* [2:20] The anointing that comes from the holy one: this anointing is in the Old Testament sense of receiving the Spirit of God. The holy one probably refers to Christ. True knowledge is the gift of the Spirit (cf. Is 11:2), and the function of the Spirit is to lead Christians to the truth (Jn 14:17, 26; 16:13).
* [2:22–23] Certain gnostics denied that the earthly Jesus was the Christ; to deny knowledge of the Son is to deny the Father, since only through the Son has God been fully revealed (Jn 1:18; 14:8–9).
* [2:24] Continuity with the apostolic witness as proclaimed in the prologue is the safeguard of right belief. (1 John, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
Psalm 96 praises God Who Comes in Judgement.
* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33. (Psalms, PSALM 96, n.d.)
The Prologue to the Gospel of John proclaims the Word Became Flesh.
* [1:1–18] The prologue states the main themes of the gospel: life, light, truth, the world, testimony, and the preexistence of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Logos, who reveals God the Father. In origin, it was probably an early Christian hymn. Its closest parallel is in other christological hymns, Col 1:15–20 and Phil 2:6–11. Its core (Jn 1:1–5, 10–11, 14) is poetic in structure, with short phrases linked by “staircase parallelism,” in which the last word of one phrase becomes the first word of the next. Prose inserts (at least Jn 1:6–8, 15) deal with John the Baptist. (John, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
David Crawford wants to focus solely on the Gospel reading, a favorite of his. Is there any more glorious news than that the God, Who was, is and ever shall be, came to earth for us?
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth. (verse 14)
From his fullness we have all received . . . grace and truth through Jesus Christ. (verses 16-17)
We who have accepted Christ have been given “the power to become the children of God.” (verse 12) (John, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
None of us knows what 2023 holds for us, but David encourages each of us to resolve to commit our lives to giving our best and our all to following our Lord, to serving Him by serving others, and to glorifying God in all that we do.
Loving God, thank you for the many times you blessed us this past year. Be especially close to those who are filled with pain, fear, want and loneliness. May our resolutions be to follow you, to serve you by serving others, and to use our best gifts – talents, skills, and resources – to glorify you. (Crawford, 2022)
Don Schwager quotes “The first-fruits of the Gospels,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).
"I think that John's Gospel, which you have enjoined us to examine to the best of our ability, is the first-fruits of the Gospels. It speaks of him whose descent is traced and begins from him who is without a genealogy... The greater and more perfect expressions concerning Jesus are reserved for the one who leaned on Jesus' breast. For none of the other Gospels manifested his divinity as fully as John when he presented him saying, 'I am the light of the world' (John 8:42), 'I am the way and the truth and the life' (John 14:6), 'I am the resurrection' (John 11:25), 'I am the door' (John 10:9), 'I am the good shepherd' (John 10:11)... We might dare say then that the Gospels are the first-fruits of all Scripture but that the first-fruits of the Gospels is that according to John whose meaning no one can understand who has not leaned on Jesus' breast or received Mary from Jesus to be his mother also." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1.21-23) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 1:1-18 comments on the “power to become children of God” that Jesus gives to everyone who accepts him (John 1:12). It’s heavenly power, the divine grace to help us do what we could never do on human energy alone. It’s the power to obey, the grace to forgive, and the inspiration to serve.
This New Year’s Eve, take some time to listen for God’s voice. Tell him, “Lord, I dedicate this year to you. Give me a focus for 2023.” He may bring a Scripture verse to mind, or he may impress a specific word on your heart, like “grace,” “boldness,” “patience,” or “peace.” Write that word or that verse someplace where you can find it, and revisit it over the coming months. As you walk through the year, see how this word applies to your life. And when you come to New Year’s Eve next year, look back and see how you have grown and how that one word or verse has opened your heart to the Lord more. Then rejoice because you are taking on Jesus’ image even more—all because of his power at work in you!
“Jesus, I welcome your work in me this coming year. I want this year to be a time of growth in my journey with you.” (Meditation on John 1:1-18, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes the importance of the heresy of the Docetists in the passage from 1 John concerning anti Christs. He shares an exegesis of the Prologue of the Gospel of John and reflects on the Word and the Logos. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus, Wisdom Incarnate, resonates the qualities attributed to Yahweh of hesed and emet in grace and truth.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, draws the year to a close with a poetic reminder that nothing stands alone. He presents the poem “I Am” by Dedan Gills (1945–2015).
I am old and wise as the night. I am as beautiful as a bird in flight.
I am the moon and the sea. I am the robin and the bee. I am the soil and I am the tree.
I’m the lion and the gazelle. I am heaven and I am hell. I am the ring and I am the bell.
I am the joy and I am the tear. I am the brave and I am the fear.
I am the blistering desert. I’m the freezing snow.
I’m the cringing coward and the gentle hero.
I’m the aged and I am the young. I am the weak and I am the strong.
I am the smile and I am the frown. I am the pauper and I am the crown.
I am the wrong and I am the right. I am the day and I am the night.
I am now and I am never. I am yesterday and I am forever.
I am the bitter and I am the sweet. I live on the hill and I live on the street.
I am the top and I am the bottom. I am Martin, Hitler, Gandhi, and Saddam.
I am red, black, yellow, brown, and white. I love, hate, laugh, cry, and fight.
All the universe is reflected in me. I am all that ever was and ever will be.
When I lose, it’s the lesson that I win. Judging others is my sin. (Rohr, 2022)
We are inspired to begin the new year with the promise of fullness of life in relation to the Word made flesh.
References
Crawford, D. (2022, December 31). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved December 31, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/123122.html
John, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 31, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?1
Meditation on John 1:1-18. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 31, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/12/31/570606/
1 John, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 31, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/2?18
Psalms, PSALM 96. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 31, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/96?1
Rohr, R. (2022, December 31). Summary: Nothing Stands Alone: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 31, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/summary-nothing-stands-alone-weekly-summary/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt among Us. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 31, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=dec31
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