GOSPEL

And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to 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.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

It has changed the world.

Dear spouses, the Truth and grace have come to us through Jesus Christ. He became man and sanctified our daily lives. He elevated what had no value and gave it infinite worth. Now we can be conformed to Him and be saved in Him. Now we can embrace Him and kiss Him in heaven, for our God is also human. Glory to God and His loving designs.

Applied to married life:

Martin: Susana, Christmas should change our lives. Don’t you think so?
Susana: It should, Martin, it should. But it should have been the same last year, and the year before…
Martin: Yes, but perhaps because we don’t receive the Child Jesus with faith. Maybe because we don’t embrace the grace that this brings to us. I think we lack faith.
Susana: That might be true. Let us prostrate ourselves before the Child and ask Him for that faith this year. What do you think?
Martin: Sounds perfect to me.

Mother,

You know well how the world changed with the coming of Your Son. May we receive Him this time. Praise be to the Child Jesus!