GOSPEL OF JOHN
SCRIPTURE JOHN 1:1-16
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 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.
JESUS IS LIGHT OF THE WORLD
But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God…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
REFLECTION
John’s Gospel makes clear that the Son of God, the Word, existed from the very beginning. The Word is God. The name of God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Word we will see later becomes Incarnate in Mary’s yes to the Father’s will. Nothing is made that did not come through Jesus, the Word. Jesus will come to judge the world at the right hand of the Father at the end of time.
John’s Gospel foretells the coming of John the Baptist, a voice crying in the wilderness to make way for this coming Messiah. John came to testify to the light. Jesus is the light of the world but so many shutter that light and prefer darkness to cover their deeds. Let the Light of Jesus shine in us that we may glow to others and breathe the Spirit of Christ on others. The Spirit goes where it wills. John 3:8
The Law cannot save us. Only Grace merited by our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ can empower us to seek God’s mercy and repent of our sins. Jesus is the revelation of who God is. If we want to share in that divine life, imitate Jesus. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
SCRIPTURE JOHN 1:19-28
john the baptist’s testimony to himself.
And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites [to him] to ask him, “Who are you?” he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Messiah.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”* And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”as Isaiah the prophet said.
VOICE CRYING OUT IN DESERT
Some Pharisees* were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water;* but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,* where John was baptizing.
REFLECTION
John the Baptist asserts he is not the Messiah, the expected one. John could have out of pride taken their adulation and sycophancy, but no, he told the truth. John was all about truth, repent, the kingdom is coming, be ready, prepare yourselves, your salvation is at hand.
There was no deceit in John the Baptist. I think of all the false prophets even today, the con men, those who build cults of personalities. John the Baptist was not about himself but pointing to others. Do we ever try to insert ourselves into situations for attention and recognition? Let God’s will be done, not ours.
John the Baptist tells us one is coming for whom he is not even worthy to untie the sandals on His feet and that we may not even recognize. Do we miss Jesus in this world? He is present you know. Jesus said it best to Saul, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me! Lord I am not worthy to receive you but say the word and I will be healed. Take away our blindness and deafness that we may hear your word and see you in other people.
SCRIPTURE JOHN 1:29-34
john the baptist’s testimony to jesus.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God,* who takes away the sin of the world He is the one of whom I said, A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him,* but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”
BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD
John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove* from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
REFLECTION
“Behold the Lamb of God.” With these words John the Baptist points to Jesus as the one who is to come, the Lamb who will be sacrificed for our sake. John could have put himself into the picture with a Howdy, Cousin. Jesus and John were cousins, after all. Luke 1:39 John the Baptist knew his place in the Divine Plan. Do we know our place? Do we accept it? Or do we stretch it into more about me than about God and others?
John the Baptist witnessed the Spirit of the Lord affirming Jesus as the one sent by God. John then testified to the others gathered, this man is the Son of God. How are we doing with recognizing Jesus in others? How are we in testifying to others that Jesus is the Son of God, there is no other to follow. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.