Here is an Advent reflection I wrote for a service last year from John 1. Merry Christmas.
Seeing an Eternal Creator
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.
We look into the past and marvel at the lighting of our sun, the ordering of our solar system, the orbiting of our planet. We look expectantly to the future, to the hope of peace and goodness upon the earth. We confess our tendency to see ourselves as the center of the universe. This Advent season, may we see our Eternal Creator.
Seeing the True Light
What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
In this often dark and shadowy world, we long for glimpses of light. How easily we are satisfied with mere reflections, and hide our own darkness from exposure. We confess our obsession with the cult of celebrity—of making idols of people and ideas, of following the strongest or surest or sweetest voice. This Advent season, may we emerge from the safety of our shadows to experience True Light.
Seeing the Rejected Rescuer
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
It is difficult to admit that we are needy. We do not like to think of ourselves as weak. We can maintain our families, our careers, our finances, our relationships, our souls alone—or we can at least die trying to pretend that’s true. We confess that we are slow to accept help, the risk seems too great. This Advent season, may we have the humility to see—and not reject—a Rescuer.
Seeing the Incarnate Mystery
14 And 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.
For 2000 years, theologians, church officials, and ordinary people have tried to understand and explain Jesus of Nazareth. Have tried to make him human, yet divine. Have tried to make him divine, yet human. We confess our inability to make a profound mystery into a tidy theology. This Advent season, may we give ourselves permission to marvel at the Incarnate Mystery.
