Readings:

Is. 52:7-10; Ps. 98; Heb. 1:1-6; Jn. 1:1-18

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. On this Christmas Day, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. I want to welcome anyone from out of town who is visiting family and thank you for worshiping with us. For many of us, Christmas brings back memories of childhood, family, hot chocolate, eggnog, and that sense of wonder that can only come from pondering the birth of Jesus, our Savior. He is our Savior because despite our lowliness, despite our sinfulness, he took upon himself our human nature so that he might redeem the entire human race. What an awesome mystery, what an awesome gift.

The reason I began this homily with the Glory Be was because this simple prayer captures in so few words the essence of the Gospel passage we just heard. St. John says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This mighty Word was responsible for the creation of Universe, the stars, the earth, but most importantly, the Word gave life. And this life was the light of the human race, that is, the perfection of all truth and knowledge. As it was in the beginning, is now…

Up until now, this notion of the beginning is really a matter of eternity. And while scientists like to muse on the actual age of the Universe, our faith tells us that even before there was a Universe, there was God. But, that there is a Universe and consequently a Sun, and an Earth, and a Moon, and stars, we begin to speak of the now. In other words, ‘now’ is a matter of time and space. That we have any sense of the present is a great mystery in and of itself. All we know is that we are born, we live, and we pass on from this world, but it is all locked in time. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews grapples with this notion of time saying, “When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high….” ‘When’ implies there was a specific time in which this was to take place. Well, that time is now.

After having shown that the Word was in the beginning, John then shows us how the Word was coming into the world. He says it was John the Baptist who came to testify to the light, that is, to knowledge, reason, and truth. The Baptist prepared the way saying, “The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before time.” Yet, the Word that was with God in the beginning was coming into the world: “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…” As it was in the beginning, is now…

Once again, the Letter to the Hebrews sheds light on this great mystery saying, “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…” ‘These last days’ speaks not only of the time Jesus lived and walked the earth, but even right now, as we reflect upon the great mystery of the Incarnation, the birth of our Lord. He is present right now—most especially when his Word is proclaimed and preached, and in the Eucharist. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever…

So, what about forever? It is hard for us to fathom eternity, while we ourselves are locked in time. Then again, this is Christmas 2024. If we were all to close our eyes and think back to Christmas last year, I venture most of us would be able to remember something special from last Christmas. We could do the same for the years before that, with all the memories and past experiences of our life. In a sense, our mind is already a glimpse of the eternal. Grant you it is not perfect. We see dimly, as St. Paul says, but today we celebrate the inbreaking of the Light, the Incarnate Word of God, dwelling among us in our hearts, our minds, and in all truth and goodness. It is from his fullness that we have all received, grace in place of grace. No longer are we beholden to the old order of sin and death; no longer are we slaves to an evil master; no longer will we be prevented from entering the gates of heaven. Jesus, the Incarnate Word of God, has come to restore us to life, to teach us and show us the way, and to throw open the gates of heaven for all eternity. It is he who is at the Father’s side, it is he who makes all things possible, and it began when heaven reversed itself in the Incarnation and peered through human eyes upon the face of Mary.

What an awesome mystery; what an awesome gift. The Infinite became finite so that we who are finite may become infinite. Today the Word is made flesh; today heaven shines upon us; today our Savior is born. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. And may you all have a very merry and a most blessed Christmas Day.