Today the Second Sunday after Christmas focus on the Word of GOD becoming flesh and touching our lives.  This is particularly meaningful as we continue our celebration of Christmas hopefully not only during this season, but throughout our life journey of faith as Christian. Let me focus on how Jesus, the Wisdom and Word of GOD, has taken on humanity and lifted us to a higher level of being able to share in the divine life of GOD as the adopted children of GOD and Jesus’ sisters and brothers, this is indeed something to be grateful, we all been God’s beloved children through the incarnate son of the Father.

All the readings for this Sunday are centered on the wisdom and the word of God.  The First Reading from Sirach (24: 1-4, 12-16) speaks in praise of Wisdom.  The Responsorial Psalm also speaks about the Word of GOD that can touch the lives of the faithful believers. And in the second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, also speaks of the Spirit of Wisdom which give knowledge of Who Jesus is. And the gospel for this second Sunday after Christmas is the Prologue to St. John’s Gospel. Here John talks about the word of God that exist from the beginning. The word who became flesh and made his dwelling among us. It is Jesus who was made flesh, incarnate by the word of the Father. It is Jesus who became human like us. Pondering in this mystery and wisdom of the incarnate son of the Father there is only one emotion that surface in my heart, but to be grateful for the infinite wisdom of the Father for giving His only begotten Son to the entire Humanity, for our SALVATION.

Nevertheless, I like also to focus on the person of John the Baptist because he became also part of preparing for the coming of the incarnate word of the Father. He prepares the way for the light of the word to come.   “John testified to Jesus, he proclaimed ‘This is the One of whom I spoke, ‘The One coming after me Who ranks ahead of me, for He was before me.’”  Here we see John the Baptist preparing the way for the coming of the Savior.  Once Jesus appears, John fades into the background.  For me the person of John is the best example on how to work for God’s kingdom. As we believe that this incarnate word and son of the Father will come again, I invite you, let us all follow the attitude of John the Baptist in preparing the coming of Jesus, in the present and in the future, in our day to day living, He is coming and He dwelt among us. He is the light in our journey of Faith, Hope and Love.

Let me just conclude with some questions that might help us for a deeper reflection. How grateful I am for the incarnation of the word? Do I allow myself to grow in the knowledge of Jesus as the incarnate word of the Father? Can the people around me notice my faith to the God who dwells among us through my acts of charity? How can I live this season of Christmas throughout the whole year?

Finally, let me end with a prayer:  Blessed are You, LORD GOD and Heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for allowing us to experience your immense love to us by allowing your son to incarnate into a human flesh like us. Thank you for the gift of our SALVATION. Your Son, made flesh is the light of the world, your incarnate LOVE. Thank you Abba Father.

Francisco Palau Community

Manila