Incarnation: "The Word"

As school rapidly--too rapidly--approaches, I thought we might stave it off with one last look over our shoulders at Christmas. Here's an excerpt and link to the sermon I preached Christmas Day at St. Alban's Episcopal:  
                        

From a blogsite of Loyola School of Theology, Manilla

So there we were, just a few hours ago, kneeling at the manger, falling in love all over again with Baby Jesus. Babies grab our hearts. The least maternal among us cannot resist offering a finger for a tiny hand to grasp.

Then along comes the Gospel according to St. John. Every Christmas Day, we read this poetic and compelling yet mysterious prologue to John’s account of Jesus the Christ. It refers to “light,” which we associate with Christmas, but we’re less sure about ”the Word” and its connection to anything.

Where, we might be tempted to ask, is the babe? Where is Mary, the blessed

mother, Joseph, the faithful father? The shepherds? Why can’t we just stay at the manger and play with the baby for awhile?!

Here’s a Gospel trivia question for you: Where and how does Jesus the human first appear in the Gospel according to John?   more...