Christ, the Beginning

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Thursday, Octave of Christmas, December 31st, 2020

Texts: 1 John 2:18-21; Ps. 96:1-2.11-13; John 1:1-18

Today marks the end of Year 2020. We thank God who has made it possible for us to see the day. As we end the year today the first reading calls us to beware of the event of last time and as we await the new year, the gospel reading reminds us of the beginning of creation, the eternity of Jesus Christ and His involvement in creation. St. John says, "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 were made through him, and without him was anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men." In the Book of Revelation, He says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (22:13). 

In today's office of the reading, St. Leo the Great says, "And as we adore the birth of our Saviour we are celebrating our own beginnings. For the birth of Christ is the origin of the people of Christ, and the birthday of the head is the birthday of the body. .... Throughout the world, every one of the faithful is reborn in Christ, and leaving the path of his old origins passes by rebirth into a new man." As we are going into the new year, let us think of how to make ourselves new. We need to be closer to God as we are moving into the new year. This is a call to begin the year we await with Him; it is a call to journey with Him in the new year. The only surest light that can lead us throughout the year is Jesus Christ, for "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." If we walk with Jesus Christ in the new year, we will always have light in the darkest moment. The light manifests in the hope he offers us. The more firm we are in the hope, the brighter the light.

We are to stay away from anything that darken our hope and make it shaky. Hence, the first reading warns us of antichrist. Many a time when we speak of antichrist, we look outside; we think of people who do not believe in Jesus Christ or God. Antichrists are among us; they also claim to have faith in Jesus Christ. In the gospel it is said, "He came to his own home, and his own people received him not." St. John, in today's first reading, says, "Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us". Antichrist will spread false teaching and exhibit characters that lead people away from Jesus Christ. Antichrist is he whose goal is to divert people's focus from our true hope in Christ. Let us rekindle our hope as we are going into the new year so as to increase the intensity of the light of Christ in us.

Lord Jesus, make us more firm in our hope in you that your light may shine brighter in our lives. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke