Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
John 1:1-18On this Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord, we are graced with the reading of the beginning of the gospel of St. John.
”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…
He was in the beginning with God…
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…
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.’”
This reading is so fitting as we end the calendar year and move forward to begin the New Year. We are reminded by Mother Church to recognize this great feast we are still celebrating: Christmas, the coming of the Messiah. Our focus is also drawn to the preaaching of John the Baptist, who proclaims the coming of Our Lord. We soon will begin Ordinary Time, studying the footsteps of Jesus. We are being prepared for this focus.