Thursday December 24

Scripture

In the beginning was the Word, 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.
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.
 - John 1

Hymn - Of the Father's Love Begotten

O that birth for ever blessed,
when the virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bare the Saviour of our race,
and the babe, the world’s redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face,
evermore and evermore.

Meditation

We live in turbulent times. The newspapers are filled with stories about war, political scandal, famine, natural disasters. There is poverty and discord in our cities and in our homes. But “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Goodness is stronger than
evil. “There have been tyrants, and murderers,” said Ghandi, “and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always.” The message of Christ is similar to this. In the long view of history, the way of God – the way of love, always prevails.