Singing the gospel overture

We often don't have a 2nd Sunday after Christmas but this year on January 3rd 2009 we do, readings are from Sirach 24:1-12, Ephesians 1. and John 1.
In structured writing what happens in the opening chapters
is an important statement of intent.
Just as in a musical the composer
makes an opening statement in the overture
which draws the audience in.
So John gives us an overture to his gospel
"In the beginning was the Word" he strikes up
he reminds us in what is really
a great trumpet blast
that the presence of Christ in the world
has changed the very way
that the universe operates.
From the very beginning of time
God has been working his will in the world
and the fullness of this has been revealed
in human form.

John says in the climactic verse:

And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us

this is not a very common expression

The Word made flesh!

What John is saying is not entirely expressible in language.

It is that the idea of God, the meaning of God,

the intention of God, the theory of God

the wisdom of God

...however we might want to express it

is shown to us in human form

in the person of Christ.

A number of powerful things

This says a number of powerful things

It says that there is no Christianity without Christ

We are not a theory

we are about God being involved with the world.

There are ideas of God that are rather like the fact

that though there might be a God

God is not involved with us.

Sort of like the watchmaker who has wound it up

and left it to run on its own.

The first things the incarnation says to us

is that the focus is on Jesus

and that Jesus is about God being vitally involved with the human race.

What we might then observe is that this is not exclusive

it is for all who believe.

It may be that you feel you don't believe or understand this very well at all.

That is not really the point

none of us will ever fully understand

what is, after all, the mystery of God.

We are not so much called to fathom it

as to trust God.

Maybe our prayer should be not

"Help me to understand the theology of God"

but " Lord I believe, or want to believe

help me to believe in the midst of my unbelief"

What then John tells us is that,

committed to this promise of God,

focussed on Jesus

then God can open up our lives and fill us with abundant grace.

The everlasting, and abundant life that is promised

is not exclusive

nor is it dependent on how well we believe.

It is rather about the fact that we trust in God.

Our prayer, perhaps our new year's prayer

can be

Lord in the midst of so much doubt and cynicism

May I believe

In Jesus Christ

who tells me everything I want and need to know.

And may I be open to the mystery of God's grace.