John 1:1-18
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 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.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 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.
15 (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.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 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.
“GOD’S LOVE IS FOR ALL PEOPLE”
What a text for the first Sunday of a new year! .
With broad, powerful strokes of the pen John sets the stage for what is to come, not only in his gospel, but in life itself. .
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth...From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”
And the TRUTH is, that God is LOVE.
And the GRACE is, that this if for ALL.
Not just those who know it, accept it, cherish it, believe it. But for ALL - even those who don’t know it, accept it, cherish it or believe it. God loves them too!
As Martin Luther once said: “Nobody is in this life nearer God than those who hate and blaspheme him. He has no more dear children then they.”
How great the grace of God is. It goes beyond our logic, it doesn’t always make sense, it is not reasonable. If mercy is not receiving what I deserve, grace is receiving what I don’t deserve.
God is a God of grace, first, last and always!
As the Psalmist says many times in many ways, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Ps. 103:8
So...what does this mean for us today, as we begin a new year.
What are we to be about in 2011 and beyond?
We are to be INCLUSIVE in our spirituality
“The worst word in the english language is exclusive." Carl Sandberg
Mother Teresa expresses inclusiveness this way:
“The same loving hand that has created you
has created me.
If he is your Father
he must be my Father also.
We all belong to the same family.
Hindus, Muslims and all peoples are our brothers and
sisters.
The too are the children of God.
Our work among the Hindus proclaims that
God loves them
God has created them
they are my brothers and sisters.
Naturally I would like to give them the joy of what I
believe
but that I cannot do;
only God can.
Faith is a gift of God
but God does not force himself.
Christians, Muslims, Hindus, believers and nonbelievers
have the opportunity with us to do works of love
have the opportunity with us to share the joy of
loving and come to realize God’s presence.
Hindus become better Hindus.
Catholics become better Catholics.
Muslims become better Muslims.” Mother Teresa
We are to be COMPASSIONATE in our attitude and actions; not judgmental.
“Be merciful (compassionate) as your Father is merciful.” Lk 6:36
For God is love! First, last and always! Nothing! Nothing must ever take precedence over this simple, awesome truth.
And what ever else this means, it does mean I have to let go of being judgmental even where I feel I have every reason to be judgmental and even where I think the Bible is judgmental and I have to seek to love even as I have been loved. It means that I dare not “quench the Spirit” of God at work in my life (which is always a spirit of love) even as I seek to “test everything; hold fast to what is good; (and ) abstain from every form of evil.” I Thes. 5:19-22
Our challenge, as Christians, is to let the Word of grace -the light which shines in the darkness - shine in us, doing as Mother Teresa said - ‘”no great things only small things with great love.”
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