2nd Sunday of Christmas 2025
Ecclesiasticus 24:1-2, 8-12 Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18 John 1:1-18
Each of the evangelists begin their account of the life of Jesus in a different way. Matthew gives us a lengthy genealogy, Mark begins with John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness and Luke goes back further to the birth of John the Baptist. Each of them concentrated on what was for them the fulfilment of the Prophets and of the expectations of the many generations of the people of Israel. Their interest was in tracing and underlining the reality of Jesus as a human being with flesh and blood, with a family line and with generations of ancestors.
When John came to write his Gospel, he went back further, to the beginning. This was a more difficult task; he would rely on divine inspiration and his spirit-filled imagination. John must have imagined what God would want to do in the beginning that is, to reveal God’s very self to creation! This was to be a matter of communication at the highest and deepest level. Humanity depends on words for communication, words, words and more words. What would we be without words? What would we know without words? Literary figures have debated the usefulness or uselessness of words for centuries. Too many words can hide reality. The poet, Alexander Pope wrote “Words are like Leaves; and where they most abound, much Fruit of Sense beneath is rarely found”. And TS Eliot wrote profoundly, “ We have Knowledge of words and ignorance of the Word”.
God, John revealed, would use the ‘Word’ to reveal the very divinity Christ and the work of salvation. God, in communicating with creation, would speak just one Word. While we use words to express our feelings, thoughts and desires, God’s Word would express the inexpressible!
“And the Word became flesh”! This is the great mystery, the truth of our Salvation. The Word became tangible, the Word became a sign, a sacrament. The Word lives among us.
Today’s liturgy struggles to explain to us what God has done. The author of today’s 1st Reading personifies Wisdom and declares “Wisdom speaks her own praises, she opens her mouth, she glories in herself in the presence of the Mighty One ……The creator of all things instructed me”. Then Saint Paul in his wonderful song of praise sums up God’s plan of salvation through the Word living among us; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ …. He chose us in Christ to be holy and spotless” Paul then prays that we will have the wisdom to understand: “May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what glories you will inherit” (2ndreading). The Word, while not using our language is speaking of us “becoming children of God…. seeing his glory”.
I have already used too many words! Let St John bring us into the depths of the mystery: “The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us”.
Lord Jesus, you come in Word and Sacrament to strengthen us in holiness, Lord have Mercy.