Therefore hear the parable of the sower

 

 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.  But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.  For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

 

- Matthew 13:18–23 

 

In our recent readings, the lectionary has taken us through the Gospel of St. Matthew, and into the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  This week, Ascension Day occurs on Thursday (in the Western and Armenian Apostolic Churches; for the Eastern Orthodox, it is Thursday next week).  So, the lectionary begins preparing us for the celebration of Christ's Ascension, after which we'll continue reading the final verses of the Sermon on the Mount.  Yesterday we began reading in chapter 13, when Jesus starts to preach in parables.  We read that Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.  And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:  "Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.  Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"  He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:  'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.'  But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

 

  "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.  But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.  For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."  We should keep in mind that Jesus is explaining the parable of the Sower (see yesterday's reading, above) in private to His disciples.  At this stage in His ministry, He has begun to preach in parables as "great multitudes" begin to gather to Him.  There are so many coming to hear Him and see Him that He must sit in a boat off the shore while the people gather on shore to hear Him.  So, we can assume that by now He is speaking to large gatherings of people that include much more than disciples.  There are no doubt those who are curious, or who come to see Him for His reputation of healing and miraculous cures and the casting out of demons.  By now it is likely also that He has gained a reputation as one who has been in conflict with the religious authorities, and that no doubt also draws people to hear Him.  However we might frame this beginning of Christ's preaching in parables, it comes to people in such a way that the "mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" are hidden within the story, the parables made by taking elements of daily life in order to illustrate the workings of the kingdom of heaven.  As Jesus has explained to His disciples in yesterday's reading (see above), He wants to draw those with spiritual eyes and ears, the ones who truly desire what He offers, and thus speaks in parables.  

 

This parable, like the rest of them which Christ teaches in this chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel, is an illustration of the workings of the kingdom of heaven.   As He indicates, He's the Sower who sows the seeds.  We may think of this poetically, as the Word Himself (John 1:1), He sows the gospel message.  That is, He casts the seeds out, the words He teaches and preaches, and all the things He does in His ministry in the fullness of His message.  What kind of ground will these seeds -- His words and teachings -- fall upon?  We are the ground.  Or rather, the interior lives we lead determine the ground.  Is our heart receptive?  Are we capable of hearing and seeing the things of spirit and soul He offers?  Do we really want it?  In my personal experience, we each may go through the stages Jesus describes at any time in our lives, but He's illustrating what receptiveness and a true heart that grasps what He offers can do.  Not everyone is going to receive at all times, and the evil one is busy trying to distract us constantly and snatch away what's been sown in the heart.  A stony heart, one that understands with difficulty because of a lack of attunement to this kind of message, may feel joy in hearing His word for awhile, but when difficulty comes it's so much easier to walk in a different way and forget.  And then there's another kind of obstacle and distraction.  Jesus frames this as "the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches."  These things choke the word inside, as we become consumed and even frazzled through the pursuit of things outside of ourselves that will not reap the same blessings of the Kingdom (about which Jesus has been preaching in the Sermon on the Mount; see, for example, the Beatitudes).  Such a person neglects the fruit of the Spirit because their lives are "choked" -- crowded with other things.  His explanation concludes, "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."   And this is what Christ is looking for, the disciples He is calling even through His parables.  Can we receive it?  Can we understand who He is and what kind of redemption He's offering?  It's so easy to be distracted, to be "choked" by other things.  Perhaps today -- especially in the prosperous and technologically developed parts of the world -- we are more distracted than ever.  But everywhere there may also be tribulation or persecution!  Let us pray for all, and live our faith.

 

 

 

 

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace

 

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

 

- John 1:1-18 

 

On Saturday, we read the final passage in Matthew's Gospel:   While the women at the tomb were leaving to tell the disciples what happened and the message of Christ to meet in Galilee, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.  

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  Thus begins John's Gospel.  John the Evangelist and Apostle also holds the title of Theologian, and these first verses bear witness to the reason for that title, at once revealing the depth of this particular Gospel.  In the beginning is meant for us to recall the creation story of Genesis, but in this case John speaks more clearly of the Creator rather than the creation.  My study Bible explains that John's Prologue (the entirety of today's text, John 1:1-18) reveals the "new creation" in Christ.  Was the Word:  In Greek "Word" is Logos.  The Word is the eternal Son of God.  "Was" as used here indicates existence without reference to a starting point.  My study Bible explains that it emphasizes the Word's eternal existence without beginning.  Logos can mean "wisdom," "reason," and "action" as well as "word," all of which are attributes of the Son of God.  The Word was with God:  The Word, the Son of God, is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.  He Himself is God with the same divinity as the Father.  

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  My study Bible notes that the Word is the co-Creator with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews 1:2) and not simply an instrument or servant "used" by the Father.  Will, operation, and power therefore are one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Therefore, the heavens and the earth are the works are the One who made them.  The Son, in contrast, was not made but rather is eternally begotten of the Father.  

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  Only God has life in Himself; all of creation derives life from God.  Therefore, the Word, being God, is the source of life, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  The life was the light of men:  My study Bible comments that John now introduces humankind as the receiver of the divine light.  As we participate in the life of the Son, believers may themselves become children of the light (John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).  Moses saw the divine light in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2); the whole nation saw it at the Red Sea (Exodus 13:21); Isaiah saw it in his heavenly vision (Isaiah 6:1-5); and three apostles saw it at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5).  

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  As Christ is the light, so darkness is a word meant to indicate both spiritual ignorance and also satanic opposition to the light.  My study Bible explains that those who hate truth prefer ignorance for themselves, and they strive to keep others ignorant as well (John 3:19).  The word which is translated into English as comprehend means both to "understand" and to "overcome" -- just as the expression to "take in" can mean both.  Therefore, darkness cannot possibly overpower the light of Christ, nor is it capable of understanding the way of love.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  This John mentioned here is John the Baptist, disciples of whom became Christ's first disciples, among whom is the author of this Gospel.  The Light is Christ; while John the Baptist was sent to bear witness to Christ (see John 1:29-37).

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  My study Bible says that Christ offers light to every person, but the world and even many of His own refuse to receive  Him; therefore they can neither know nor recognize Him.  Those who accept Him has His light.  In many Orthodox traditions, the hymn sung after hearing the Gospel and receiving communion reflects the receipt of this light.  The Eastern Orthodox sing, "We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit."  In the Armenian Apostolic Church, the communion hymn includes, "Draw near to the Lord and take ye the light."

 

 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: . . .  My study Bible explains that right also means "authority" and indicates a gift from God, not an inalienable right.  Those who receive Christ become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7) and by grace inherit everything that Christ is by nature (St Peter writes that we may be "partakers of the divine nature"; see 2 Peter 1:3, 4).  To believe in His name means to believe and trust in Him who in His humanity took the name Jesus as Word, Son, Messiah, and Savior.  

. . . who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  My study Bible explains that adoption as a child of God is not a matter of ethnic descent (of blood) as it was in the Old Testament, nor are we children of God simply by natural birth (the will of the flesh), nor by our own decision (the will of man).  To become a child of God is a spiritual birth by grace, through faith, and in the Holy Spirit.  This is accomplished and manifested in the sacrament of Holy Baptism (John 3:4-8; see Titus 3:4-7).  

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  My study Bible notes that the Word became flesh clarifies the manner in which the Son and Word of God came to God's people (verses 9-11), and points specifically to the Incarnation.  The Word became fully human without ceasing to be fully God.  He assumed complete human nature:  body, soul, will, emotion, and even mortality.  That is, everything that pertains to humanity except sin.  As God and human in one person, my study Bible emphasizes, Christ pours divinity into all of human nature, for anything not assumed by Christ would not have been healed.  ("What has not been assumed has not been healed; it is what is united to his divinity that is saved. . ." Gregory of Nazianzus, Epistle 101.)  The Word . . . dwelt among us:  In the Old Testament, God's presence dwelt ("tabernacled"; literally "tented" in the Greek) in the ark of the covenant and later in the temple.  Here, the eternal Word comes to dwell in and among humanity itself.  His glory refers both to His divine power which was shown by His signs and wonders (John 2:11; 11:4, 40), and also His humble service to humankind, most perfectly shown on the Cross (John 12:23-32; 13:31).  In both ways, Christ reveals that He is the One sent from the Father.  Only begotten of the Father:  As noted above, the Son has no beginning ("In the beginning was the Word"), but the Father is the source of the Son from eternity.  Christ is called only begotten because there is no other born from the Father.  (The Holy Spirit exists eternally from the Father through another mystery called "procession"; see John 15:26.)  Full of grace and truth:  This is a phrase which my study Bible says qualifies both "the Word" and "His glory."  Grace is what is called Christ's uncreated energy which is given to us through His love and mercy.    Truth, it says, includes Christ's faithfulness to His promises and covenants and to the reality of His words and gifts.  Again, John here is John the Baptist, who declared of Christ that He is preferred before me (John 1:15, 27, 30).

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  In saying that we have all received of His fullness, my study Bible says, the Scriptures confirm that God's grace can fill human nature to the extent of actually deifying it (again, refer to 2 Peter 1:3, 4; see also for example St. Paul's reference to fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23).  In Christ, my study Bible explains, God's children become gods by grace (John 10:34-35) without ceasing to be human.  A traditional image of this process is the example of metal thrust into fire:  it takes on the properties of fire (such as heat and light) but it does not cease to be metal; so human nature permeated by God takes on properties of the divine nature.  Thus is born holy people, saints, saintliness.  Grace for grace is a semitic expression which signifies an overabundance of grace.  

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.  That no one has seen God at any time indicates that no one can see the full nature, or essence, of God -- for to see God is to die (Exodus 33:20).  That is, only One who is equally divine can fully see or behold God (that is, another Person of the Trinity); therefore the Son is the only One who can declare God to us.  This revelation of God's energies, my study Bible explains, can be received by the faithful.  Moses saw the "back" of God (Exodus 33:21-23); Isaiah saw God's glory (see Isaiah 6:1; John 12:41).  

Thus reads the Prologue to John's Gospel, and thus (as explained through the notes in my study Bible) the Church has historically understood and received these Scriptures in order to tell us about Christ, about the Incarnation, and the fullness of Jesus Christ.  Therefore we understand why a historical title, given to very few as formal title, for John the Apostle and Evangelist is also Theologian -- because this Scripture helps us to understand God, and in particular, God as revealed through the story of Jesus Christ and witnessed through His "beloved disciple" for us.  John speaks as witness when he writes that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and that of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  Together with John the Baptist, the rest of the disciples and those who knew Christ, and we believers who follow, John our Evangelist speaks the voice of witness for himself, his fellow disciples, and for all believers, in some sense.  For to the extent that we have experienced, through our own faith, this grace of Christ, and the light of life that vivifies us, makes possible transcendent acceptance and grace, surprises us with fruit of the Spirit such as unexpected joy or forbearance or forgiveness -- then we have all received, grace for grace.  This is the power of the metal thrust into the flame:  the experiential life of faith, the Light that has produced countless saints whom we can't number and whom we don't all know, our own moments when prayer helped us get through things we didn't think we'd survive with sanity intact, or a light of love that shone to guide us through a personal hell of any kind, even sometimes teaching us that sacrifice is neither impossible nor, in the end, diminishing -- but rather expanding to our sense of who we are.  Let us join with these witnesses, the witness of the Gospel, the voice that speaks for the faithful, in journeying through the gospel of the beloved disciple, and hopefully expanding our faith as we do so.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

 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 nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' "  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

- John 1:1-18

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  Today the lectionary begins its new cycle with the beginning of the Gospel of John.  This "beginning" is known as the Prologue, and it begins by introducing us to God the Word, the only-begotten eternal Son.  The other three Gospels (called the Synoptic Gospels) speak chronologically of the life and ministry of Jesus, but John's Gospel gives us right from the beginning the theological orientation of the early Church.  That is, by the time this Gospel was written, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was understood in His divine identity, and not only in the human identity of Jesus.  Therefore, an understanding of both at once is necessary to the story of Christ.  In the beginning, my study bible says, reminds us of the story of creation in Genesis.  Genesis spoke of the first creation, but this Prologue given in today's reading (verses 1-18) reveals the new creation in Christ.  It tells us first off that in the beginning was the Word, which is Logos in the Greek.  The Word is the eternal Son of God.  The word was as written here indicates an existence without reference to a starting point -- that is, the Word exists eternally without beginning.  In the beginning, the Word already was.  Logos can take on many meanings from Greek history and literature:  it can mean "wisdom," "reason," and "action" as well as "word."  Each of these meanings are attributes of the Son of God.  The Word was with God:  The Word, who is the Son of God, is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.  He Himself is God with the same divinity as the Father.  

 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  My study bible notes here that the Word is the co-Creator with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1; Psalms 33:6, 9; Hebrews 1:2), and not an instrument or servant used by the Father.  It says that will, operation, and power are one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Therefore the heavens and earth are the works of the One who made them, while the Son was not made but is, rather, eternally begotten of the Father.  Moreover, the text tells us, only God has life in Himself.  Therefore, the Word, who is God, is the source of life, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  The life was the light of men:  My study bible points out to us that John now introduces humankind as receiver of divine light.  As we participate in the life of the Son, believers become children of the light (12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).  Moses saw the divine light in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2); the whole nation of Israel saw it at the Red Sea (Exodus 13:21); Isaiah saw it in his vision of heaven (Isaiah 6:1-5); and three apostles (John, the author of this Gospel, his brother James, and Peter) saw it at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5).  Darkness is an indication of both spiritual ignorance and also satanic opposition to the light, my study bible tells us.  Those who hate truth prefer ignorance for themselves and they also strive to keep others ignorant (3:19); this is true both of worldly and spiritual forces of darkness.  The important contextual word that is translated as comprehend means in Greek (as it does in English) both to "understand" and to "overcome."  It is akin to the expression to "take in."  Therefore, darkness can never overpower the light of Christ, my study bible says, nor can it understand the way of love.  As we read the story of Jesus and even come to know our own journey of faith, these are important things to keep in mind.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  John here is John the Baptist (not the attributed author of the Gospel).  My study bible notes for us that Christ offers light to every person, but the world and even many of His own refuse to receive Him; therefore they can neither know nor recognize Him.  The first "His own" indicates His own things or domain, and the second indicates His own people.  Those who accept Him, my study bible says, have His light.  In Orthodox liturgies, after receiving communion, a hymn proclaims, "We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit."

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  My study bible explains here that right also means "authority" and that it indicates a gift from God, not an inalienable right.  Those who receive Christ, it says, become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7) and by grace they inherit everything Christ is by nature.  (That is, we were endowed with the capacity to become more "like God"; see Genesis 1:26, and also the "fruit of the Spirit" given by St. Paul in Galatians 5:22-23, and 2 Peter 1:1-11.)  Adoption as a child of God, my study bible adds, is neither a matter of ethnic descent (of blood) as in the Old Testament; and neither are we children of God by natural birth alone (the will of the flesh); nor does it come by our own decision (the will of man).   To become a child of God is a spiritual birth by grace, through faith, and in the Holy Spirit.  This clearly suggests its accomplishment and manifestation in the sacrament of Holy Baptism, but it also remains a lifelong process (see 3:5-8, and Titus 3:4-7).

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' "    My study bible says that the Word became flesh is a clarification of the way in which the Son and Word of God came to His people (as indicated in the verses above), and it points specifically to Christ's Incarnation.  The Word became fully human without ceasing to be fully God, it notes here.  God the Son assumed complete human nature:  body, soul, will, emotion, even mortality; that is, everything that pertains to humanity with the exception of sin.  As Christ is God and Man in one Person, He pours divinity into all human nature -- for anything which was not assumed by Christ would not have been healed.  We are to understand that the entirety of this great central spiritual event of world history is for healing and salvation, a gift to us.  That He dwelt among us is a translation of a Greek word that literally means "tabernacled."  Similarly to the way in which God's presence dwelt in the ark of the covenant, and later in the temple, so Christ was in the world:  the eternal Word comes to dwell in and among humanity itself.  My says also that His glory refers both to Christ's divine power that was shown in His signs and wonders (2:11; 11:4, 40), but also to His humble service to human beings, which was shown most perfectly on the Cross (12:23-32; 13:31).  In both ways, it is revealed by Christ that He is the One sent from the Father.  Only begotten of the Father:  My study bible notes that the Son has no beginning, but rather has the Father as His source from eternity.  It says that He is called only begotten because there is no other born from the Father.  (In the understanding of the historical Church, the Holy Spirit exists eternally from the Father through another mystery which is called "procession" -- see 15:26).  To be full of grace and truth modifies both "the Word" and also "His glory."  Grace, my study bible explains, we are to understand as Christ's uncreated energy, which is given to us through His love and mercy.  Truth includes both His faithfulness to His promises and covenants, as well as to the reality of His words and gifts. 

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  My study bible notes that in saying we have all received of His fullness, the Scriptures are confirming that God's grace can fill human nature to the extent of actually deifying it.  That is, in Christ, God's children become like gods by grace, without ceasing to be human (see Jesus' statement in 10:34-35, which references Psalm 82:6).  In patristic tradition, this process is likened to a piece of metal thrust into fire, which takes on the properties of the fire -- such as heat and light -- but without ceasing to be metal.  So human nature permeated by God, my study bible explains, takes on properties of the divine nature.  Grace for grace is a Semitic expression which signifies an overabundance of grace.

No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.  This statement emphasizes that no one can see the nature, or essence, of God, my study bible explains, for to see God is to die (Exodus 33:20).  This means that only One who is also divine can see God, and therefore the Son is the only One who can declare God to the world.  My study bible says that this revelation of the energies of God can be received by the faithful.  This is simply the nature of grace and mercy.  Moses saw the "back" of God (Exodus 33:21-23); Isaiah saw His glory (see Isaiah 6:1; John 12:41).

Thus begins the theological introduction (or more formally called the Prologue) to John's Gospel.  Right from the beginning, we can hear and witness that John's statement comes from his experience of the Christ and also the perspective of the early Church, having witnessed and understood the work of the Spirit in the world and also the meaning of Christ's teachings.  John's Gospel is generally understood to be the last written of the Gospels, and John -- who became a disciple as  young man -- was quite old when it was written, having survived persecution and exile as a member of the early Church.  Whether this Gospel is actually personally written by John Zebedee, or by a disciple, it matters little.  The testimony of John's witness is the same.   In the Gospel of John, we are given to understand John's earlier discipleship to John the Baptist, his close relationship to Christ as "beloved disciple," and even that he becomes a surrogate son to Mary, the Mother of God, by Christ's designation at the Cross.  Often, I find small hints or glimmers of ideas that link John and Mary, special passages that show her character, or perhaps information that she alone would have had.  This includes her human personality, passed on through birth to form a part of Christ's humanity, a great designation indeed.  As we begin to read this Gospel, keep in mind its uniqueness, and that it was significant enough to our earliest Christian ancestors to pass on their perspective on just who Jesus Christ was, that it is written with this Prologue, in the beginning, and teaching us who He really was as Son.  It is useful to keep in mind that in the early Church, Christ's Nativity was not celebrated separately from His Baptism by John the Baptist.  The perspective shaped through the union of these two events designates that Christ's birth into the world, as well as the birth of His ministry -- and the revelation of the Trinity and the Son's place in it -- are of equal importance and reflected meanings back and forth toward each of these events.  We have just passed through the Christmas season, and also Epiphany, which in the East has always designated the Baptism and revelation of the Trinity, which may also be called Theophany (a revelation or manifestation of God).  Whatever we are to understand from John the Evangelist, Christ's human life is inseparable from its meanings on theological terms, and His identity as Savior and Son of God.  Let us keep this in mind, that the two are not ever separate, nor is one understood -- in the traditional perspective of the Church -- without the other.  So, just the same, we are given to understand that our faith is a living spiritual reality, and our wholeness as human beings incorporating the body, the soul, and the spirit.  This is a mystical reality that gives us a clue to who we really are -- and the fullness or completeness of the identity of Jesus Christ also teaches us about ourselves, who we are, and our faith that invites us into living participation in His life.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

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 nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

- John 1:1-18

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.   Today the lectionary begins the Gospel of John.  John's is often called the most "spiritual" of the Gospels, as it is suffused with the theological underpinnings of our understanding of Christ, and also of the Trinity.  Its prologue, which comprises today's entire reading, begins with the beginning, so to speak, teaching us about the Word that became Incarnate.  It begins with the answer to all the questions about Christ.  In the beginning takes us back to Genesis, but this creation story speaks of the Creator Himself.  But Genesis spoke of the first creation, my study bible says, while this Prologue of John reveals the new creation in Christ.  It's also the beginning before the beginning, for the Word already was; the Word is the eternal Son of God.  The "was" placed here indicates that which already existed before the beginning, without beginning.  There is no reference here to a starting point.  Logos/Word may mean "wisdom," "reason," and "action" as well as "word."  All of these are attributes of the Son of God.  That the word was with God tells us that the Word, the Son of God, is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.  He Himself is God with the same divinity as the Father.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.   The Word is the co-Creator with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1;  Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews 1:2) and is not merely an instrument or servant used by the Father.  Will, operation, and power are one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, my study bible explains.  Therefore, the heavens and the earth are the works of the One who made them; while the Son was not made but is eternally begotten of the Father.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  My study bible tells us that only God has life in Himself.  Therefore, the Word, being God, is the source of life, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  John writes that the life was the light of men (of human beings, as the word in Greek, anthropos, literally means), introducing humankind as receiver of the divine light.  As we participate in the life of the Son, believers themselves become children of the light (12:36, Ephesians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:5).  My study bible tells us that Moses saw the divine light in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2), the whole nation saw it at the Red Sea (Exodus 13:21), Isaiah saw it in his heavenly vision (Isaiah 6:1-5), and three apostles saw it at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5).

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.   Darkness is an indication of both spiritual ignorance and also satanic opposition to the light.  My study bible explains that those who hate truth prefer ignorance for themselves and strive to keep others ignorant as well (3:19).  It's important that we understand that the word which is well-translated as comprehend similarly means in the original Greek to both "understand" and to "overcome" or "take in."  Therefore, darkness can never overpower the light of Christ, nor is it capable of understanding the way of love.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.   This John is John the Baptist, also called Forerunner, who bore witness to the Light, who is Christ.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.   My study bible says that Christ offers light to every person, but the world and even many of His own refuse to receive Him.  Therefore, they can neither know nor recognize Him.  Those who accept Him have His light.  In many Eastern Churches, the hymn after the Gospel reading and communion is sung:   "We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit."  The right to become children of God:  the word for right means also "authority."  But it indicates a gift from God, and not an inalienable right such as may be thought of in a legal document such as those of a Constitution of a state.  Those who receive Christ become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7) and by grace inherit what Christ is by nature (see 2 Peter 1:1-11).  To believe in His name is to believe and trust in Him who in His humanity took the name Jesus as Word, Son, Messiah, and Savior.  Adoption as a child of God, my study bible tells us, is not a matter of ethnic descent (of blood) as it was in the Old Testament, nor are we children of God only by natural birth (the will of the flesh), nor by our own decision (the will of man).  To become a child of God is a spiritual birth by grace, through faith, and in the Holy Spirit.  It is accomplished and manifested in the sacrament of Holy Baptism (3:5-8; see Titus 3:4-7). 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  That the Word became flesh clarifies the manner in which the Son and Word of God came to His people (as told in verses 9-11, above), and points specifically to the Incarnation.  The Word became fully human without ceasing to be fully God, my study bible says.  He assumed complete human nature:  body, soul, will, emotion, and even mortality.  That is, all that pertains to humanity without sin.  As God and Man in one Person, Christ "pours His divinity into all of human nature, for anything not assumed by Christ would not have been healed," my study bible tells us, paraphrasing St. Gregory of Nazianzus.  In the Old Testament, God's presence dwelt (or "tabernacled" or "tented") in the ark of the covenant and later in the temple.  But now, the eternal Word comes to dwell in and among humanity itself.  Christ's glory refers to both His divine power shown by signs and wonders (2:11; 11:4, 40) and also to His humble service to human beings, which was shown most fully and perfectly on the Cross (12:23-32; 13:31).  In each way, Christ reveals that He is the One who is sent from the Father.  That He is the only begotten of the Father tells us that although He has no beginning in time as we experience it, He has the Father as His source from eternity.  He is called "only begotten" because there is no other who is born from the Father.  (The Holy Spirit exists eternally from the Father through another mystery which is called "procession" -- see 15:26.)   Full of grace and truth qualifies both the Word and His glory.  Grace, my study bible explains, is Christ's uncreated energy which is given to us through His love and mercy.  Truth includes His faithfulness to His promises and covenants and to the reality of His words and gifts.

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.  My study bible notes that in saying we have all received of His fullness, the Scriptures confirm that God's grace can fill human nature to the extent of actually deifying it.  The Greek theological term for this is "Theosis."   In Christ, God's children become gods by grace (10:34-35), without ceasing to be human.  A traditional metaphor to this process is metal that is thrust into fire:  it takes on the properties of fire, such as heat and light, without ceasing to be metal.  Just the same, human nature permeated by God may take on properties of the divine nature.  Grace for grace is a Semitic expression which signifies an overabundance of grace.  That no one has seen God at any time tells us that no one can see the nature or essence of God (to see God is to die - Exodus 33:20).  Only One such as Christ, who is divine Himself, can see God; therefore the Son is the only One who can declare Him.  This revelation of God's energies may be received by the faithful; Moses saw the "back" of God (Exodus 33:21-23), Isaiah saw His glory (see Isaiah 6:1, John 12:41). 

The Prologue to John's Gospel gives us the theology of the Church, the foundation upon which it stands, with Christ not only as its center, but also at the center of the history of humanity and all of Creation.  It is this foundation upon which all else is built.  Let us give consideration to how these words shape and define the lives we live today, the lens through which we see our own strengths and struggles, light and darkness, and that which we seek for ourselves, and our communities, even for our world.  He was, in the beginning, and so the Scriptures testify, He is the one who has been with us from the beginning.   Let us remember that John's Gospel is also the Gospel of Love, as it is John who repeatedly gives us Jesus' new commandment for all of us:  "Love one another."  This, too, is part of the light that is the life of men, and that those who live in darkness cannot see nor comprehend.

Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow

And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching: "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed that some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him him hear!"

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And he said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that

'Seeing they may see and not perceive,

And hearing they may hear and not understand;

Lest they should turn,

And their sins be forgiven them.'"

And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

- Mark 4:1-20

In yesterday's reading, we learned of the conflicts surrounding Jesus' ministry. Jesus is surrounded, mobbed, by those who wish to follow Him, especially for healing. But His family, His relatives, having heard about this, say, "He is out of His mind," and they seek to find Him. The scribes who come from Jerusalem claim that He has Beelzebub -- that by the ruler of the demons He casts out demons. But Jesus replied in parables: "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. . . . And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house." He then warns everybody that blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven, although all manner of other sin will be. Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You." But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."

And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Again, Mark repeats the scenes by the sea, of great multitudes coming to Jesus. This time, He must get into a boat to teach. We recall, from Monday's reading, how He had to keep a boat ready when teaching at the sea, in case He should be crushed by the crowds. Here, we presume, the multitude has even grown, and seeks Him more vehemently.

Then He taught them many things by parables . . . In yesterday's reading, Mark gave us the first of Jesus' parables introduced into his Gospel -- the teaching of a house divided against itself. Parables were common in the spiritual history of Judaism already before Jesus' time and the Old Testament records them. A parable, my study bible teaches, is a story in "word-pictures, revealing spiritual truth. The Hebrew and Aramaic words for parable also mean 'allegory,' 'riddle,' or 'proverb.'" They give vivid illustrations from daily life so that we get glimpses of truth, depending on our faith, our capacity. My study bible says, "Parables give us glimpses of Him whose thoughts are not our thoughts and whose ways are not our ways" (Is. 55:8,9).

. . . and said to them in His teaching: "Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed that some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him him hear!" As in Matthew's Gospel, the first parable we're given by Jesus is a kind of parable of parables. We get the elements of our world that would be common then to those listening: seed, scattering the seed, good ground, earth, the birds, the hot sun, waiting on a good or poor crop. We can picture Jesus sitting in the boat, talking to this crowd, with the sun shining down, the birds flying, the wind blowing that may scatter seeds, the sandy soil of the beach, even the thorny plants in this environment. It's as if, for this massive crowd, He is trying to communicate something specifically because the crowds have now grown so big. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" He wants to pull those out of the crowd who can truly hear. In that sense, Jesus' "seeds" contained in the parable are themselves destined for the "ground" in His audience. It's a parable within a parable; He's teaching them His own effort to communicate -- and yet it's not all up to Him.

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And he said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God . . . " My study bible points out: "The mystery is the reality of the presence of the Kingdom itself, revealed in Jesus and perceived by faith." Here is the element of the mystical introduced. Parables are not simply a matter of clear interpretation, but designed to draw us into a place where our spiritual "ears" are tuned, honed, refined, to hear. How can we receive this mystery?

" . . . but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'" There is a deliberate way, here, that things are not simply handed to the crowds. It is akin, in some sense, to Jesus' teaching to His disciples that they should not cast their pearls before swine. But here the teaching delves deeper into the subtleties of this mystery of the kingdom. For those who are not prepared to receive, the mysteries remain just that, a mystery. Those who will repent and be called into the Kingdom are those for whom the ground of the heart is truly ready and receptive. The quotation comes from Isaiah, but also Jesus' words are echoed throughout Old Testament Scripture.

And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble." The interesting thing here is that even the disciples must work ask, seek to understand this parable. But they have been called, and clearly they thirst for what is contained in the teaching. The Sower is Christ Himself, sowing the word. Those who are not disciple material immediately lose the word to the adversary of this world -- the word has fallen by the wayside. A stony heart may hear the "good news" of the Gospel with gladness, but its truth isn't deeply rooted in the heart, and this doesn't last. When adversarial conditions arise, persecution or tribulation "for the word's sake," immediately they stumble. This ground of the heart, therefore, teaches us about love. Discipleship, that which will not trample the pearls, that which sticks through difficulty, even persecution, is rooted in a relationship of love.

"Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." It's interesting how these conditions for the seeds of the word come to us in stages. Here, the thorns of the world, those things that may prick our hearts and plague us with pain, are the cares of the world, including "the deceitfulness of riches" and "the desires for other things." What we see is the competing reality of the ways of the world. The word is given out for free, yet it is the deepest and dearest treasure. The things of the world, the cares of the world, are from a mindset taught by the world: that everything is to acquire, a material good, a competition for something scarce, something to chase after -- and these concerns, if we let them get out of the perspective of faith, can choke the word within us, crowd it out. It is a question, it seems to me, of what comes first -- what we allow to be our whole lives. And, it seems to me, we can approach spirituality wrongly as something to be acquired like a worldly good possessed, or a frantic list of works, like a resume that is built up in our own image. Ironically, it is these who become unfruitful.

"But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred." In yesterday's reading, Jesus asked, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?" And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother." Let us put the two together, and come to understand what it is to bear fruit. The mysteries of the kingdom, revealed through the word, must fall on the good ground of the heart to bear fruit. That is the part of us with spiritual perception, with "ears to hear." In contrast to the cares of the world, it is all about receiving. In so doing, in seeking to know and do the will of God, we become fruitful -- a part of the abundance of the "family" of Jesus, His mother, sister, brother. Think of crops springing up and yielding and growing, expanding in fruit -- and the image of a "family tree." There are all levels of fruit that belong to this tree. Each member may bear his or her own "children" for this harvest. Note that there is no competition among them.

My study bible has a note that says that here, Jesus refers to "hardness of heart as the cause of lack of understanding. Jesus is not disclosing truth to some while hiding it from others. He proclaims the Good News of the Kingdom openly to all, but only those who repent and believe can perceive the power of the Kingdom in Him and in their lives." It also notes, "The gospel of God's Kingdom is powerful but our heart response determines its fruitfulness in our lives." So let us think about fruitfulness, and what it is to be fruitful. Certainly fruit has to do with a call, with a response to the seed planted by the word, and with following, in repentance, where that leads us. Jesus' teachings today, and Mark's portrayal of His interaction with the disciples, teach us also something about time. Time is necessary for the harvest of fruits, as well as care, the tending of the vines or crops, the care of the soil, the nurturing of the good ground for a fruitful harvest. We don't know what those fruits may look like, but we know who are Jesus' mother and brother and sister. Let us tend to the good ground of our hearts, the nurturing and the valuing of the word there, the repentance that Jesus notes to His disciples. We turn and turn again to the word, to our "daily bread" of spiritual food, to that which nourishes, feeds, and leavens the whole. The care of the heart is for good fruit, and this is a lifelong task. It takes root, and spreads, and only the Father may know the full outcome. Can you have the faith to allow this to proceed in you? Or do the cares of the world choke its power, crowd out the time, and takes its true care away?

In the beginning was the Word

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 nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'" And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

- John 1:1-18

This week Lent begins. In the Eastern Church, the first day of Lent is today. For the Western Church, Lent begins on Wednesday, which is called Ash Wednesday. The two different approaches are interesting: in the Greek tradition, the beginning of Lent is a time of celebration. In the lectionary, we have just finished going through the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew's Gospel, in preparation for Lent. Today we begin readings from 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 nothing was made that was made. "In the beginning" recalls to us the first words of Genesis and its story of creation. My study bible points out that these words complete our understanding of creation, giving us a real "beginning." But "the beginning" by itself is misleading, because the Word "was" with God. Our sense of time is immediately juggled to include the understanding of the eternal, a process of creation unlike the "creation" we understand. The Word, Logos, signifies "wisdom" and "reason" as well as "word." (In the Greek, my study bible points out, logikos is "creation," participating in the Divine Word.) John opens His Gospel by teaching us of the divinity of the Word, His co-existence with God and co-equal and co-eternal nature. He is co-Creator, "without Him nothing was made that was made."

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. If I could personally sum up my own perspective on John's Gospel, these words would fill it. His life is the light of men - His life is life abundantly for all of us, each of us; it is life itself -- and it is the light for us as well. My study bible says that this light is the same light seen by Moses in the burning bush (Ex. 3:2); Isaiah saw it in his heavenly vision (Is. 6:1-5); and Peter, James and John saw it on the Mount of Transfiguration. The powerful words here, so contained in short sentences, also tell us of the nature of that light, and of the "evil" or darkness into which it shines. The darkness can neither understand it ("take it in") nor can it overcome it. It is a powerful statement of the nature of Christ's work in the world, as it is ongoing, through grace, and of our own blindness to the brilliant light that may be as close as a breath.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. While the first verses in today's reading teach us of the divine and eternal nature of Christ and the inseparability of Logos from God the Trinity, these verses teach us about His life in the flesh, as incarnate God and Son. We begin with John the Baptist, who came ("sent by God") to bear witness to the Light, "that all through Him might believe." We are given, first of all, a purpose for the Incarnation: our relation in this picture is inseparable from His mission. Creator has come to unite with His creation, all of us. Moreover, through John the Baptist's mission we understand that this Light may be shared between all of us; we may be light-bearers and witness to that Light in order that others may find it as well. And this Light is the true source of light in all of us, the light we may each share and bear and reflect.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Creator comes to creation, and creation does not understand Him. This teaches us that we need grace to understand the things that are beyond us, to share in that relationship and find faith. "His own" may mean the entirety of the Jewish people, as He was born a Jew (as indeed was John the Baptist and the author of our Gospel and so were His Twelve Apostles and the majority of the faithful we find in the Gospels). But, we are taught, relationship and kinship comes not through flesh and blood but by the power to receive -- not "the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Grace for grace: through grace each who receives has the right to become a child of God. This gift changes all understanding of what it is to be "God's people," and the notion of what constitutes love and worship, the depth of relationship.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'" And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. Finally there is the witnessing of John the Evangelist himself: "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." Imagine being the great friend of the Light incarnate, and "beholding His glory... full of grace and truth." The reference to John the Baptist, repeatedly mentioned here in the beginning of John's Gospel, tells us of the powerful force and presence of the Baptist himself, and his importance in the whole economy of the unfolding of the incarnation of Logos, the life of Jesus and of the church itself. Each has received an abundance of light and grace, from the Light itself, manifest in the world: grace for grace. My study bible says that "grace for grace" is a Semitic expression which signifies an abundance of grace. My study bible has a beautiful note on these verses: "'We' are the disciples, the people of God, pilgrims in this transient world. In the Old Testament, God's glory, His radiant power, dwelt ("tabernacled") in the temple. Here, the eternal Word in His divine glory comes to dwell in the midst of humanity through the Incarnation."

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. To follow the law given through Moses is one thing, but to experience relationship through grace and truth is another and requires of us a deeper kind of challenge -- not to bypass the law, but to fulfill it, in the same sense in which Jesus taught His expansion on the Law in the Sermon on the Mount (see especially here and here). Grace and truth is the shared light, coming from the One Source, which is able to illumine even we who are not God, so that we may become children of God. An ancient teaching on grace and its work in us also teaches us about light: metal thrust into fire becomes full of its heat and energy, but it does not become the fire itself. It remains metal, illumined and perhaps transformed in its properties. Human nature, through grace and truth, "becomes godlike without ceasing to be human," as my study bible puts it. But the Light itself, the Source of Life, none of us has seen but the Son, who has declared God to us. We are illumined through grace and truth, so that we may become "like God" and filled with the light, brought into a deepening fullness of relationship to Creator.

Let us ask, then, what it is to receive this light, to be a witness to the light, and its transforming work in us. We are set down in these verses with the theology of the Church -- the entirety of our understanding of Christ, His inseparability from God the Trinity, His incarnate reality as Son and light-giver to each of us. The question is, then, what do we do with the light? How do we bear it in the world and bear witness to it in ourselves? Do we bring others to this light and share it? Does it work through us? How do these words still ring true today, and about the darkness that does not comprehend? How does that light shine in your life and illuminate what you need and where you need to go? Do you in turn reflect its light and warmth and hope for others? We begin this week awaiting the Light of Easter -- and we have a full period before us to consider that Light and its work in us and among us and through us.