The Glorious Mystery of Christmas




The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. -John 1:14 MSG

There is a divine mystery that has surrounded humanity since the very first Christmas. Doubtful that anyone in that stable where baby Jesus was born really understood the significance of what had just happened. Who could have grasped that God Almighty had taken on human flesh? Who could have understood that this was not an earthly king come to sit on an earthly throne? Who looking at this helpless babe could have ever imagined that he was the the One to save them from their sins?

Yet John says here that he was one of the ones who saw the glory. He knew the Messiah and he embraced the nature of his divine mission. As John writes you get the impression that he was looking back and realizing that he walked with God and saw his glory for many years. John witnessed the miracles, remembered the teachings, agonized over the cross and saw the resurrected Messiah. These verses bind together the miracles of Christmas and Easter. They reveal to us the mystery and glory of Christmas.