John 1:1-5: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
Today is the last day of the 12 days of the Christmas season. During the season of Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Although the nativity stories of Matthew and Luke are more familiar, the Gospel of John also offers a birth of sorts. God is the Word and Light. God has been there from the beginning and will be there in the end. God is the light that shines in the darkness, making a way for us to follow. Jesus is that light that breaks through in that darkest time of the year, showing us the way to God and the Word.
The light shines in the dark night, in the stable behind an inn. It shines as the angels tell the shepherds to go see a baby. It shines in the star that brings the wise men from afar. It shines in the face of Mary and Joseph as they marvel at the birth of their child. It shines in the face of the baby Jesus. God shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overtake it.
No matter how dark it is, God is there. God is in the heart of our enemies, offering hope for reconciliation. God is in the dark recesses of our hearts, guiding us into a better place. God is that light that passes between strangers, making them friends. God is that reflection that lets you see someone in a new light.
God is the word, the light, the life, the all. Nothing has come to life that is not part of God, and therefore, everything is holy. God sent Emmanuel, God with us, to dwell among us and shine a light on the path to God’s grace. The light is always on, and the word is always there to guide us. As we leave the stable of Christmas, and come into the light of Epiphany, God is there to show us the way.
