Daily Gospel Reflection

The Light Shines in the Darkness

Welcome back to Radical and Relevant. Today's reading is from the beginning of John's Gospel, John 1:1-18. And John's gospel is beautiful. As a writer, I love words, I love phrasing. I love the way words get put together. And the Gospel of John is magnificent from that point of view. And so we're listening to the very beginning of the Gospel of John. 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 were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came for testimony to bear witness to the light that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him. Yet, the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And a word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. We have beheld His glory, glory as the only Son from the Father. John bore witnessed to him and cried, "This was he of whom I'm said. He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me. And from his fullness, have we all received grace upon grace? For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made him known." What is it that jumps out at you? Is there a word? Is there a phrase? There's so much in this reading. One that jumps out at me is, the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. Maybe you're experiencing darkness in your life right now. Maybe there's something that you feel hopeless about. But the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. The other one that jumps out at me is, the true light that enlightens every man. The true light that enlightens every man. Are you looking for light? Do you need to make a decision? Are you grappling with, okay, should I do this or should I do that? Are you asking for light? Are you praying for your light? Are you asking for God to show your direction? Obviously, the most famous line, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. But there's so many. There's so many. The idea that all things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made. We pray. In Him, we live and move and have our being. We pray it in the Mass all the time. In Him, we live and move and have our being. And so separated from Him, we can't live, we can't move, we can't have our being. It's a beautiful, beautiful reading. But what jumps out at you? And how is it calling you to take one step closer to God today, to live the gospel more fully today? Let's do that and do it together. Have a great day and remember, be bold, be Catholic.