and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came into being through him,
and without him not one thing came into being.
What has come into being 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.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
He came as a witness to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He himself was not the light,
but he 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 into being through him;
yet the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who received him, who believed in his name,
he gave power to become children of God, who were born,
not of blood or of the will of the flesh
or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
And the Word Became Flesh
Frank Wesley, 1923-2002
Dear friends,
As we begin our meditation on John 1:1-14, I encourage you to approach this passage with an open and receptive heart. These verses speak to the very essence of our existence and the nature of the Divine.
John 1:1 tells us that "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Here, the Word is not just a simple utterance or sound, but rather it represents the creative power and wisdom of God. This Word, or Logos, is the source of all that exists in the universe. It is the very essence of God, inseparable from his being.
As we read on in verse 3, we see that "through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." The Word is not just a part of God, but rather it is the active and creative force through which all things come into being. It is the source of all life, all creativity, and all order in the universe.
But it is not just the material world that is created through the Word. In verse 14, we see that "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." This tells us that the Word is not just a force or an idea, but rather it is a living and personal presence. It is the very embodiment of God's love and compassion.
As we meditate on these verses, we can take comfort in knowing that the Word is not just a distant and abstract force, but rather it is a living and personal presence that is always with us. It is the source of all life and all goodness in the world, and it is through this Word that we can find true meaning and fulfillment in our lives.
May we all strive to cultivate a closer relationship with this Word, and may we find joy and peace in knowing that we are always loved and guided by this Divine presence. Amen.