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Lectio divina on

II SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS / A

Lectio divina on Jn 1:1-18

The Word made flesh and dwelt among us

Invoking
Holy Father, You are the Light and Life, open my eyes and my heart because I can penetrate and understand your Word.
sends the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of your Son Jesus over me because I accept with docility your Truth.
Gimme an open mind and generous, in dialogue with you because I may know and love your Son Jesus for the salvation of my life and can show your gospel to all my brothers. Through Christ our only Lord. Amen.

Read
1 In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God 2 He was in the beginning with God 3 All things were made through Him, and without him nothing is been made of all that exists. 4 In him was life and the life was the light of men, 5 The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overpower the `. 6 There was a man sent from God and his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. 9 Word was the true light that enlightens every man.
10 He was in the world and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, but its not the `have accepted. 12 'But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name, 13 who were not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but by God they were created. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified to him and cried: "Behold the man of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead because he was before me." 16 From his fullness we all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 `God nobody has ever seen: the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed him.

A moment of silence for meditation the Word can enter into us and enlighten our lives.

useful steps to meditation
January from 1.1 to 5, Ex 25, 8-9; 40.34-38; ss 1 Kings 8.10, Pr 8.22 to 36, 24.3 to 21 Sir, Is 55.10 to 15, 60.1-3, 1 John 1,1-3; Jn 8.37 to 39, 14.15, 16.28, 21.15 to 17, Col 1:15-20, Phil 2 5-11, Rev. 7.15

Understanding
The Fourth Gospel opens with this remarkable piece of poetry, described as a hymn to the Word of God that is revealed and active in the world. It is a thoughtful synthesis of the whole mystery of Christmas, because the child of Bethlehem is the revelation of God, the truth of God and man, and reflecting on this event, we can understand who is who was born and who we are.
John's prologue is different from other prologues of the NT (Luke 1:1-4; 1.1 to 13 Mc, Acts 1:1-2) because of its Innico-theological. It is thought that the editor of the fourth Gospel has used an earlier Christological hymn to the Logos incarnate. Own the evangelist would be added. These adaptations are evident in vv. 6-8 and 15, which showed the role of John the Baptist history and theology, and vice versa. 12c-13, which develop with the terminology typical of the editor v. 12ab.
The prologue has a chiasmatic structure (see diagram) through which, with a parabolic movement, describes the mission theology of the Logos incarnate. A summary of this movement of thought the prologue we find in John 16.28: "I came from the Father and came into the world and now I leave the world and going to the Father," and even before in Is 55.10 to 11.
The first thirteen verses, which constitute the first part of the hymn, we have the Word of its origin, we are in the relationship between the Divine Persons. The Word of God, at some point, comes into contact with the world, with humanity, and that is with us, becoming incarnate. This event is sung in a burst of joy in verse 14, which begins the second part of the Prologue (vv. 14-18). However, this gift from God, totally free, many do not see it or reject it. But there are also those who realize it and accept it. By means of reception of the Word can become children of God: "Good News" is of divine right in the middle of the hymn (vv. 12-13).

Meditation
v. 1: In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God The Gospel of John begins by saying "in principle" (en arche), due to TA where the themes of creation, light and Darkness is taken from Genesis (1.1). This is not, as in Genesis the beginning of creation, because creation is in v. 3. The "principle" rather refers to the period before of creation and is a designation more qualitative and temporal sphere
In the words of God "was the Word," we find the affirmation of an existence before this date: as of this principle there was "the Word. Speaking of seniority, St. Thomas explains in the Summa Theologica that metaphorically expresses the truth that the Word is God the author of the Fourth Gospel seems to be linked to both the biblical traditions: Christ the Word is the final and perfect manifestation of Wisdom. The definition of Word for the person of Jesus is specific Johannine writings that contain both in absolute form (Jn 1, 1.14) and with the specifications (Word of life in 1 John, 1, 1, and the Word of God in Acts 19:13). John reformulate the identity of the Word in the light of Old Testament categories.
"Word": the "Word", which is the means by which we express ourselves. Greek in the philosophical, the term refers to a "word that brings a sense," which fully reveals. Jewish environment, the word "dabar," as this belongs to the realm of God, it reveals the very essence of God Greek preposition pros expresses the idea of \u200b\u200bbefore, at, in relation to and is used to indicate 'existence of the Logos in relation to God can be understood: It was in the company of God (giving pros a static sense), or: It was about God, that is in relationship with God (in this case is preserved in the pros his sense of motion). The TOB prefers this second translation. As originally drafted
pros ton theon Article (t) specifies that it is the Father. The Word part of his life as a distinct person directed to him. In these few words
John describes a hint to the mystery of parent-child relationship, the oneness of God or Theos én 'logos: the use of theos, without the article, expresses the participation in the divine nature. The Logos has the divine nature while not the only one to have it.
v. 2: He was in the beginning with God With the resumption of the phrase 'in principle' the reader's attention is again directed towards creation. John repeating that "the Word was with God" seems to emphasize that the basic attitude of the Word, his being to God, should serve as a model than anything that will be born by the "Word."
v. 3: all things were made through Him, and without him nothing was made of all that exists. After presenting the Word in its immediate relationship with God, now the eye is focused on the relationship of the Word to the world. TA already linked the creation the world to the word of God or divine wisdom. All creative activity is the work of the Father and the Son.
The evangelist says that everything happens through the Word, the Gospel also means that all through the Word makes sense.
The Greek words "without him" may have a sense "outside of Him." The idea is similar to that reported in John 15:5: "without me you can not do a thing." What then is said in reference to salvation, it is stated here in relation to existence. This expression is reinforced through negative thought before. The world is both physical and human reflection of God as Father is made according to the incarnate Son of God, which is precisely the image of God Think of harmony and beauty.
v. 4: In him was life and the life was the light of men. In this passage, the prologue begins to describe the relationship between logos and humanity. It is important to connect this verse with the above: After announcing the effective presence of the Word in all that was done, the work of the Word is now characterized by the gift of life.
We can translate this verse this way: What had originated in him (the Word) was life. The life of which John speaks in his Gospel is not merely the physical (BIOS) but a higher quality and full life ("Zoe"). In other passages of the Gospel is also identified with Jesus himself. The identification of this life with the light of men in the line suggests that it intends to eternal life.
The use of the term "light" was one of the usual ways to describe in the Jewish Law of Moses. The law is normally a light that guides the conduct of man (cf. Ps 119:105; Sap 8.4, 6.25 Nm). The said John, "the life was the light of men" inverts the rabbinic understanding that did not mention the phrase in reverse: the light (the law) is the life of man.
The Word, entering in relation to men, revealing what he is for them, ie light, therefore, shines as the light of life. Thanks to the Word men see the light that guides them to the fullness of life. Here are anticipated in the words of Jesus: "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life" (Jn 8:12).
v. 5: The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. whole sentence is a comprehensive look on the work of the Word and its opponents. John ponders the light that is the Word in its function of illuminating the whole of humanity that lies in darkness. The term
"Darkness" means first and foremost the world of men away from God, that is not yet illuminated by divine light. A translation of "darkness", in existential language, disorientation may be the inner, when you are confused and do not know how and where to go. This disorientation can be a way of life, until you get to not knowing the true cause of things, leaving so carried away by impulses and situations. John, with these few words, gives us a basic message: Jesus did not recognize the man among us, as the ultimate meaning of reality, which adds value to what is in effect a being in darkness, without no reference point.
In this verse, we have two antithetical extremes: light-and dark-death life. The work of God in Jesus gives man the opportunity to get out of the darkness in which he lives and moving to the area of \u200b\u200blight-life. The light is the realm of God's love, and whoever enters it receives the gift of this love (1:16).
Despite his efforts, the darkness could not extinguish the light, which, in John's Gospel is identified with Jesus: "I am the light of the world" (Jn 8:12 a), he is the alternative to dark: "Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness" (John 8:12 b).
vv. 6-8: He was a man sent from God and his name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. In these verses the person of John the Baptist is introduced and says, "we were (literally). This is not the ' én used for the creation in vv. 3-4: John the Baptist is a creature. This note on the Baptist makes us get out of the supernatural world human and divine universe ("There was a man").
Presenting the historical figure of John just before Jesus' public activity is common in the early preaching. Here one speaks of him as someone who received a prophetic mission. The evangelist makes this the first major character "witness" of Christ-light.
The difference in tone strikes the reader and it is possible that this passage to John (as well as the verse 15) was later introduced to deter the disciples of John from making this great prophet of Jesus on the same level between the two c ' is a radical difference that separates "the one who was from the beginning, facing God" by this man, who came from God to be a witness. The Baptist is a witness to the light, but not the light itself. John makes only witness to the light before the Jewish authorities (1, 19-34), before the people of Israel (1, 31-34) and in front of his disciples (1, 35-37). The last time John is mentioned in the Gospel, when it is praised for being a faithful witness: "All he said was true of Jesus" (Jn 10.41).
The Evangelist Baptist esteem so much that speaks of him as the authorized intermediary between the Word and humanity. In antiquity, the testimony was an act with which we had as guarantors and defenders of a cause, totally willing to suffer the consequences of a position.
John the Baptist that he must bear witness that Israel was waiting for this. He knows that John is superior in dignity (1, 27).
John becomes the "figure" of all witnesses in the course of history have received the mission to witness the world the presence of the divine light to him and take his message is universal in scope.
v. 9: Word was the true light. With this verse begins a new picture of the history of God who communicates himself through the revelation of the Word, in the concreteness of the encounter between the Word-Light and people. We have here the adjective "true" will return often in the Gospel: True Bread (6:32), is drink (6.55), real life (15.1). Use Hebrew, "true" features First the divine order (see 7.28; 17.3), which is characterized by delusion and the fallacy of the order of the sinner (cf. Rom 3:4). So John says that only occurred in the revelation in Jesus through his Word and his work is given to all men the true understanding of their existence. The Word is here described as "the true light." The position of the Word is given not only to John, who was the only witness to the light, but also against all the false light that would appear in the world: they are nothing but deceptive idols, while only the living God is true.
The Word of God "illuminates man ": this expression refers to John each man in his singularity: the Word reaches out to each man in the passage of time.
v. 10: He was in the world .... The Word was in the world: a presence that is due to what is said in v. 9 (the world was created through the Word).
'World' kosmos' is a very important term, is repeated three times in verses 10-11, but with different nuances. Initially, John talks about the world in the sense of "universe" created by God, as was the thought of the Greeks. In the next quotation the term refers not only to the physical universe, but includes the 'human world'. In these two references to the world is used in a very positive way. In the third reference we speak of the human world with a negative content, as it alludes to the world subject to the power of darkness and hostile to the mission and saving work of Christ.
Practically every man is placed in a position to accept or reject the light. The warmth of light, through faith, God brings life and salvation. The "world" becomes a "sinner" just as soon as it refuses the revelation of Christ and does not recognize the free gift of God is not given any reasons for the rejection of this view: there is only the finding of its rejection. The affirmation of the failure of the meeting between the Word and men do not contradict what was said previously, namely that the darkness did not stop the light affects the evangelist to emphasize the paradox of rejection that opposes the creature to his Creator.
v. 11: He came unto his own, but his own did not receive. The TOB translates: He came on his property, at home ... Israel is likely that the whole history of humanity belongs to the Creator. Verse wants to clarify further the nature of the rejection of the Word.
The verse refers to the presence of the Word in the world he has created. The Word came into "his property." The term highlights a special relationship between two individuals or between a person and group. We recall the allusions of Jesus about the relationship that unites the shepherd to his sheep, to indicate the relationship created between himself and his disciples. After touching the "world" in general, John seems to want to remember here that the special behavior of God for His chosen people, particularly unfaithful.
v. 12: `But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name ... become children of God implies an ability that comes from God is among men who have recognized in the Word the principle of their existence and the sense of their history, leaving light from him.
"To those who believe in his name and the formula is frequently applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament is a typical expression of the Old Testament refers to God
All terms in this verse are relevant. "He gave ': this is a gift of the Word to man. "Power": the power that gives to those who believe they clearly can not be a stand-alone option, as if the believer to become able to obtain for itself the status of a child of God we can highlight the dignity that entails to become children of God In the Old Testament the expression
"Sons of God" is normally used in the singular. From the principle applies only to the king or to Israel as the chosen people, to show the special bond of protection and benevolence of God that unites those who are designated as his "son." In this step, the children of God are all men who believe in God, Israel, or not.
In this phrase of John "become children of God" contains a principle that will dominate the whole Gospel: God does not replace humans, but the ability to develop its activities. This enables you to be born again by (1.3, 3.3) for the communication of his Spirit (cf. Jn 3:5 ff), giving him a quality of life improves its being and allows them to grow up to realize in themselves the creative project.
v. 13: which, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but by God they were created. The man does not become a child of God with the carnal procreation, as we recall the words of John the Baptist: "God may raise of these stones children to Abraham" (John 8.37-39). It does not happen even under a "will of the flesh," that is under the deadly creature that has the desire to survive death through its offspring.
We think that there is coincidence between the action of the man who "accepts" the Word and that of God "begets". These two actions form a single thing in the diversity of their roles. It is important to keep in mind the previous step, saying, that the Word enlightens every man. Now in fact we know this light, to the extent that is successful, produce the divine sonship. Now, a child of God is the exclusive work of God through the expressions following the rhythm of the hymn builds to a crescendo. By contrast, the triple is to enhance the grandeur of being born from God
v. 14: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The word "meat" (in greek sarx) defines man in his state of weakness and of mortal destiny. It is intentionally highlighted the contrast between the Logos, in his divine status and sarx, in his human condition.
one who existed from all eternity and entered time in human history. This is the tremendous mystery of why the same eternal Word assumed our human nature, becoming like us except for sin (Hebrews 4:15). That is all, except what was incomprehensible to the divine. This is one of the most incisive statement of the whole Gospel.
"Made" did not become, because there was a transformation, but, being the Logos was, began to live in his new condition and weak storm. The divine plan has come true in a human life, the fullness of life shines in a man is visible, accessible, palpable (cf. 1 Jn 1:1-3). For the first time occurs which is the goal of God's creation: to bring the man to divine status.
To express this mystery (and lived), John has deliberately chosen the biblical image of the tent: "He pitched his tent among us." The Logos camped, got up his tent. The word conjures up the tent (skene) desert (Ex 25, 8-9) built because God could "dwell among them." The Stone Temple of Zion (as discussed explicitly in John 2: 18-22) is now replaced by the "flesh" of Jesus, that is, its corporeality and its historical existence she shares with us. The tent also invokes the theme of Wisdom which was ordered: "Make your dwelling in Jacob" (Sir 24:8). The "meat" of the Logos is listed as the new Tabernacle of the New Covenant. In Rev 21.35 also the final situation is described with expressions like: "God himself will (shall camp) in the new Jerusalem." "We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father .... " In the Old Testament was called "glory of YHWH" the splendor of the divine presence. He looked in particular at the Shrine or tent, during his inauguration, it was filled with the glory of God (cf. Ex 40.34-38; ss 1 Kings 8.10).
"Full of grace and truth." The phrase is a direct translation of Es 34.6, where God proclaims as its such attributes, which serve as the basis to the Alliance.
From verse 14 the word "Word" disappears from the Gospel. Now that John has finally reached the climax of his introduction talking about the Word became flesh, not the name but Jesus, the Word: the Gospel is a testimony to the eternal Word but the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the Son of God
v. 15: John testified to him and cried: "Behold the man of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead because he was before me." This verse takes the testimony of John the Baptist, whose mission to the light has been described in the first part of the prologue. Now his testimony is proclaimed.
addition, it reaffirms the primacy of Christ is "before" him, even if it came chronologically after "him in human history. It also enhances the mission of the Son of God with humanity. He offers the man above all "the grace and truth." The mission of the Word in the world was precisely to put men in position to become children of God, partakers of the divine life that is.
v. 16: Since its fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. We all share in the fullness of grace, God's own begotten "We all" do not want to exclude anyone. This statement is jubilant of all those who believed in Christ and therefore have the ability to grow in their reality as children of God
"grace upon grace." (Charis anti charitos) translated: "Love in place of love ", this idea of \u200b\u200bsubstitution, as was supported by the Greek Fathers, it means implicitly hesed of a new alliance in place of hesed Sinai.
Verse 17 seems to validate it. Indicates an experience that is the ability to receive from the superabundance of God's kindness-love. We want to emphasize not so much a succession in time that is "grace after grace" but rather an increase in intensity: this would be an accumulation of thanks, which reveals the continuity of God in history.
v. 17: For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. In this verse, are compared the actions of Moses and Jesus for salvation. Although the evangelist does not oppose the law, however, points out some contrast. The law on the one hand and the grace and truth are the other gifts, and since the Logos is always present in the world, we all came from Him
The "Law" as part of the alliance, it's all the set of instructions that God gave to His people in the Old Testament. The law is understood as a blessing from God: a guide for life and an indication of a street. The grace and truth are combined as a gift just Begotten of the Father, Jesus Christ himself, the founder of the new covenant, revelation of the Father.
Moses and Jesus Christ are in parallel: the gift of the law is the gift of truth in Jesus Christ. This truth above the law, which is only a partial manifestation. For John Law is already a gift of God, a grace that is expanded to the whole world, yet he emphasizes the depth of truth revealed by Christ: "in" and "through" Jesus Christ, only Son, God reveals himself as Father.
v. 18: God `s no one has ever seen: the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed him. In all religious experiences even the Old Testament, we find the desire to see God face to face, but a few exceptions, this aspiration has to wait for the sky to flourish. John shows that Christ overcomes the inability to see God
The broker access to this glory is Jesus Christ, the only Son. "Begotten" not only to emphasize that Jesus is the only Son of God, but that is the same as the Incarnate Word (1.1). John adds that he is the only-begotten "God": God can only speak of God as "the Father's heart." The term underlines not only the tenderness of love and intimacy between the Father and the Son, but also the purpose of the report: "the only child is facing the heart of the Father." We note that, as in v. 14, the word God is replaced by that of the Father.
only begotten Son, that shares the Father's life without limits, it can lead people to knowledge and life. With everything that does and says, Jesus will be the detector and the expression of God and addresses the disciples, saying: My Father and your Father, to my God and your God (20:17).

The Gospel in the mind of the Church Fathers
The feast we celebrate today is the coming of God among men, because we can access to God or, rather, return to God, so that left the old man we put the new, and how we are dead in the old Adam, so in Christ we live, because with Christ we are born, we put on the cross, we are buried and rise ... (Gregory Nazianzen, Oratio 38, 1 S. 4).

God, therefore, simply does not take care of men, but in doing so, he really loves them. Then this love is so great to have led to establish God as our savior and the doctor gave his only Son, consubstantial with him, the first dawn, with the help of which created the world and give us, through him the privilege of 'adoption as sons of God (Theodoret of Cyrus Divine Providence, 10).

Well, this also applies to the Word of God has never moved by itself, yet he lived among us (Jn 1, 14), has undergone no change, yet the Word was made flesh (John 1 , 14), the sky is not never been deprived of his presence, yet the earth has received the blue in her womb. Do not think a decrease of gods: it was not in fact a passage from one place to another as well as any body could make. Neither is considered that the deities, poured out in the flesh, it is found to be altered in some way: that which is immortal, in fact, also immutable. As can happen, ask that the Word of God has not assimilated the physical characteristic limits the size? In the same way as, we respond, the fire becomes a participant of the properties of iron. The latter, in fact, though dark and cold, once warmed by the fire became hot, it is of the same aspect of the fire, although it will become bright, however, for its part is not black at all, nor fire, being inflamed, cools the flame. The same argument can be about the human flesh of the Lord: this, in fact, become sharers in the divine, not the least corrupted by his own weakness (Basil the Great, Homily on the holy birth of Christ, 2).

The Word of God, therefore, God, Son of God, who was at the beginning with God and through whom all things were made (Jn 1, 2-3), became man to free man from eternal death, and stooped to accept our humility, without lessening his majesty, so that it remains what it was and what was not taking, united in itself a servant to the true nature of his nature, which is identical to God Father. The united by a bond so tight that the glory is not consumed the lower nature, or taking diminished the higher nature. Remaining an integral attribute of both nature and agreeing on a single person is taken by the majesty of humility, strength infirmity, mortality from all eternity, and to cancel the debt of our condition, nature is liable to be attached to the inviolable nature: the true God and man are true in the one Lord, as required by our redemption, the one and the same mediator between God and man could die and rise again for one another (Leo the Great, Sermons , 21).

Both Matthew and Luke begins to tell the generation of the Lord from his birth body. John, however, begins narrating the birth of the eternal Word. It was determined that the evangelists there could be transmitted through a double mystery and somehow through a dual narrative - the eternal generation is that the body of the Lord. They are not human words adequate to express that such a comprehensive one and the other generation of the Lord. Is certainly more difficult to speak of the eternal generation of the Word which proceeds from the Father, that fact beyond all possibility of narrative, as the event infinitely surpasses the understanding of our awe. The body of Christ's birth takes place over time, the divine first time, the body takes place in our century, the divine before the ages, the body is born to a mother that is a virgin, the divine from God the Father. Witnesses to the birth on earth could be both men and of angels, the divine birth of the Lord, the only witnesses were the Father and the Son, because nothing was before the Father and the Son. But because God's Word could not be seen by anyone in the glory of his divinity, assumed a flesh visible in order to make visible their invisible gods. We took what is ours, in order to give us the gift of what is proper for him (Chromatius of Aquileia, Commentary vang.di Mt ).

Some questions for personal reflection and comparison
Our discussions always keep in mind what the Lord makes known to us through the Gospel and Holy Scripture?
recognize Jesus in the full manifestation of the Father? We thank him for that?
God has pitched his tent among us. He lives among them our homes. Even in our hearts?
emerge from our "hiding" to be enlightened by the Light of Christmas to be born again by God and become children in the Son, live Christmas every day?

Praying
Raccogliamoci quietly retracing our prayers and respond to the Lord in his own words (from Psalm 97):

Sing to the Lord a new song, because
has worked wonders.
He gave His right hand and his holy arm
.


The Lord has made known his salvation to the nations

has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his love,
his faithfulness to the house of Israel.


All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God

Shout to the Lord all the earth,
shout, rejoice with songs of joy.

Sing to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song
with trumpets and the sound of the horn
acclaim the King, the Lord.

contemplative act
In the silence of the heart meets the Lord. Repeat often and live the Word: the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.