Readings for A Service of Lessons and Carols; 1 Christmas C:
John 1:1-18
December 25, 2006
The Rev. Karen Faye Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God … And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory … full of grace and truth.” [John 1]
At St. Domenic’s Church in Siena Italy (where the head of St. Catherine is on display), there is a large painting of St. Catherine reciting the divine office while standing next to Jesus. Light surrounds Jesus’ countenance and above his head is a dove, representing the spirit of God. Emanating from his forehead (or what some people would call the third eye) is a beam of light directed onto the mouth of St. Catherine as she says her prayers. I was struck by this imagery and celebrated the artist “Gambarelli” who through his art, tried to communicate the meaning of the Word of God.
Remember, all religious language about God is metaphorical. God is not a physical object made up of atoms and molecules that we can physically describe and dissect. Yet God can be known and experienced in the same way that we can experience love. It is God’s Word that makes God known to us. Artists, poets, theologians, and the biblical witness all use metaphorical language to communicate God’s word and presence among us. Using the methodology of questions and answers, I would like to offer you a few reflections on the Word of God as presented in today’s text from the gospel of John.
1. Does the Word of God exist outside of the historical person of Jesus? In summary, the answer is yes. The gospel of John tells us that the Word of God existed from the beginning. This means that the Word of God was operating long before the birth of Jesus some 2000 years ago. God began communicating God’s self in the beginning of creation and continues this communication through the prophets, through nature, through peoples’ conscience, and in the deep recesses of the human heart. Two thousand years ago, we say (metaphorically of course), that God spoke God’s word so fully, that it became incarnate in the person of Jesus. Through Jesus, we now know fully God’s will for humanity.
2. Does this mean that God does not speak through the other great religions of the world? No! Although there is only one divine light, that light finds its way into many corners of the earth. William Temple (archbishop of Canterbury during the 20th century) once said: “All that is noble in the non-Christian systems of thought, or conduct, or worship is the work of Jesus Christ upon them and within them. By the Word of God, Isaiah and Plato and Zoroaster and Buddha and Confucius conceived and uttered such truths as they declared. There is only one divine light; and every [person] in his measure is enlightened by it.”
3. Why does the Bible say that Christ is the only Son of God? There is only one divine light. And from the beginning of his time, Jesus’ words, works, and spirit, were indistinguishable from the words, works, and spirit of God. Unlike us, his will was in full alignment with God’s will; no selfish ego involvement going on. That is why he is called the only Son of God, full of grace and truth. Someday, that will be our nature too. But for now, we have an incredible capacity to deceive ourselves. Because of our alienation from God, we see in a mirror only dimly. But when we have matured into full stature of Christ, we will have ultimate clarity. And “to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” The Christian journey is about growing into the full stature of Christ where with him, we reflect our divine heritage: faithful sons and daughters of God.
4. How do we distinguish God’s Word from the distorted word of the ego? This is perhaps the most difficult question of all. Since we are wounded people, alienated from God, we have difficulty understanding and interpreting God’s word in our daily lives. This is because we have cultural prejudices, personal preferences, and selfish passions. Even the Holy Scriptures were written down by fallible people who did not have a full understanding of the world as God sees it. That is why we need to discern God’s word in a committed community of faith using Scripture, tradition, and reason, while being immersed in prayer.
The gospel of John tells us: “The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Religious laws are created to help people choose the good over the bad while they are still in the process of becoming their true selves. Someday, we will not need laws to keep us in line. Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of Israel, pointed to the time when humanity would know God at the depths of being: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘ know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.” [Jer. 31: 34]
As we open ourselves up to the spirit of Jesus, grace and truth (not religious laws) begin to guide our lives, allowing us to become a transformed people in whom the Word of God is fully operating.
5. Finally, some of my more secular friends have asked me, “Do you really believe in all that stuff about Jesus?” I am not really sure what they mean about “stuff” but I have a hunch it has to do with literalism, fundamentalism, and some of the more rigid dogma of the Church. For me, Jesus Christ is the Word of God. He is the way, the truth, and life. He points the way to God and bids me to come and follow him. “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.” [Jn. 1] This is the Word of the Lord in whom I place my full hope and trust.
| Updated 01/03/2007 |
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