Reflection for December 31
Jean Thibodeau, Angels Unaware
We come to know about the events of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The writers of these gospels describe who Jesus WAS, but not who Jesus IS. If each gospel could be considered an epic story, perhaps like a Marvel movie, then the beginning of John's Gospel would be Jesus' “Origin Story.” This origin story tells you all you need to know about who Jesus IS: “𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝐺𝑜𝑑.”
Jesus was with God “𝐼𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔”; he always was and still is with God. Jesus is the Word, the Logos, which means "ultimate meaning." John shows us that the Word was God. Saint Pope John Paul II tells us in the Theology of the Body that God's original plan of redemption included the Incarnation of the Word made flesh. So, ultimate meaning took on flesh to redeem us and provide ultimate meaning of the flesh. There is no redemption without the Incarnation. Jesus is fully God and fully human.
In Jesus, the invisible God is made visible. It is the cornerstone of our belief as Christians. That is the truth about Jesus. THAT is who Jesus IS. Believe in the truth.
Scott Flanagan