December 31, 2025, Wednesday, The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas
Lectionary #204, John 1: 1-18
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 to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but 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 to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him, he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.
Reflection
There are two principles that God provides us with as means to goodness. One is the law, and the other is grace. John tells us that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The New Law of the Gospel has as its primary element the grace of the Holy Spirit.
In baptism, we receive this grace which recreates us to new life, joining each of us individually to the Risen Jesus. This is the gift that keeps on giving. Throughout our lives, the Holy Spirit perfects our spiritual capacities with his gifts, purifying and elevating all of our dispositions, leading us on to greater goodness.
Our Lady helps us to understand, however, that these gifts may be rejected. As she indicates, we can refuse these graces and deny even the grace of salvation itself. The submission of which she speaks has as its most fundamental characteristic the humility required to receive the grace and gifts of the Holy Spirit by acknowledging our need for them. Conversion follows. Prayer, the sacraments, the Scriptures, and the magisterium of the church all assist us in our spiritual and moral growth.
A sincere appreciation of these elements of the Evangelical Law of Christ enhances the life of grace. Saying, “If they are converted,” Our Lady promises a consequent abundance of food. This material abundance becomes the sign of the spiritual bounty, grace in place of grace, available to each believer.
La Salette Invocation
Our Lady of La Salette, reconciler of sinners,
pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to you.
