Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia. A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and adore the Lord. For today a great light has come upon the earth. R. Alleluia, alleluia. GospelJN 1:1-18 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 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 Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed him.
Reading 1IS 52:7-10 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, "Your God is King!"
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry, together they shout for joy, for they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD restoring Zion. Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts his people, he redeems Jerusalem. The LORD has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God. Responsorial PsalmPS 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6. R.(3c) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Reading 2 HEB 1:1-6 Brothers and sisters: In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say: You are my son; this day I have begotten you? Or again: I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me? And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.
S. FAUSTI - "It was the true light" the Word, which is the "true" light, Every man has within himself the light of the Word. Despite the dis-listening, he is done for it, because it is done by it and of it. In his heart shines an inner, unquenchable light. It is the desire for truth and love that leaves him restless until he has the joy of finding what he is looking for. The Word, which is towards the Father, comes into the world as his life and light. Even before the promise to Abraham and the coming of the Messiah, the light of the Word is among men as wisdom that inspires them to the good, illuminating from within their minds and freeing their hearts. This light, which is in each one ,is man's most inalienable good and offers to all, even through the most personal and mysterious ways, to enter into dialogue with the Father. Despite the false lights, lies and slavery, every man is seduced by an "ancient and ever new beauty", which at least vaguely foretells and of which he is incurably ill. That is why he immediately recognizes it when it presents itself to him, in any way, as the light of his life. Every man is "very beautiful" (Gen 1:31) because in his deepest essence he is listening to the Word. And if he responds, his face lights up of the light of God. The Word, as it was addressed to the Father before creation, after it is also addressed to the world, to address it to the Father, even before becoming Flesh. Whoever accepts the Word has the dignity of the Word itself: it "becomes" what it is. It is a process of transformation: the Word makes us become children, putting us in dialogue with the Father. Our generation as children of God is the work of God himself through the Word. It is not blood or flesh or the will of man that will generate us children of God, but the Flesh and Blood of the Son of man, who does the Will of the Father. The becoming Flesh of the Word is the point of arrival of the history of God that is communicating itself to man. The eternal Word that was addressed to God and is God, in a precise moment "became" Flesh. The way in which God communicates with us changes. What has always been and still is, "became" man, sharing our deathal condition. The love either finds or makes similar. God is Love and whoever loves gives himself totally. When He becomes Flesh, His gift is complete and definitive. God assumes a new relationship with His creature, which is to put Himself on a par with her to communicate fully with her. God is "a" man! Not a "divine and universal" man, with an ethereal body, made of light. God is a real and concrete man: Jesus. Every fragility, weakness and limit, the being-for-the-death of our condition, becomes His. And it is precisely His Flesh, and nothing else, that reveals the Glory. The Glory is God Himself, who manifests Himself in His unique splendour. This Glory is His, that of the Word, which we contemplate in the "flesh" of the man Jesus. In reality, every flesh comes from the Word; in its turn, the Word is the life and light of every flesh. John does not narrate the transfiguration, his entire Gospel is a Transfiguration, an Epiphany of God, a contemplation of the Glory in the flesh of the Son. From this moment on, John will no more speak of the Logos, but of the Son, and God will be called Father. The Son is full of the Gift of Knowledge of the Father. That is why it is the Son who wants and can communicate the Father to his brothers and sisters.
Alleluia
RispondiEliminaR. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
For today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 1:1-18
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 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 Son, God, who is at the Father's side,
has revealed him.
Reading 1IS 52:7-10
RispondiEliminaHow beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
"Your God is King!"
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
for they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth will behold
the salvation of our God.
Responsorial PsalmPS 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6.
R.(3c) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Reading 2 HEB 1:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.
S. FAUSTI - "It was the true light" the Word, which is the "true" light, Every man has within himself the light of the Word. Despite the dis-listening, he is done for it, because it is done by it and of it. In his heart shines an inner, unquenchable light. It is the desire for truth and love that leaves him restless until he has the joy of finding what he is looking for.
RispondiEliminaThe Word, which is towards the Father, comes into the world as his life and light. Even before the promise to Abraham and the coming of the Messiah, the light of the Word is among men as wisdom that inspires them to the good, illuminating from within their minds and freeing their hearts. This light, which is in each one ,is man's most inalienable good and offers to all, even through the most personal and mysterious ways, to enter into dialogue with the Father.
Despite the false lights, lies and slavery, every man is seduced by an "ancient and ever new beauty", which at least vaguely foretells and of which he is incurably ill. That is why he immediately recognizes it when it presents itself to him, in any way, as the light of his life.
Every man is "very beautiful" (Gen 1:31) because in his deepest essence he is listening to the Word. And if he responds, his face lights up of the light of God.
The Word, as it was addressed to the Father before creation, after it is also addressed to the world, to address it to the Father, even before becoming Flesh.
Whoever accepts the Word has the dignity of the Word itself: it "becomes" what it is. It is a process of transformation: the Word makes us become children, putting us in dialogue with the Father.
Our generation as children of God is the work of God himself through the Word.
It is not blood or flesh or the will of man that will generate us children of God, but the Flesh and Blood of the Son of man, who does the Will of the Father.
The becoming Flesh of the Word is the point of arrival of the history of God that is communicating itself to man. The eternal Word that was addressed to God and is God, in a precise moment "became" Flesh.
The way in which God communicates with us changes. What has always been and still is, "became" man, sharing our deathal condition. The love either finds or makes similar.
God is Love and whoever loves gives himself totally. When He becomes Flesh, His gift is complete and definitive.
God assumes a new relationship with His creature, which is to put Himself on a par with her to communicate fully with her. God is "a" man! Not a "divine and universal" man, with an ethereal body, made of light. God is a real and concrete man: Jesus.
Every fragility, weakness and limit, the being-for-the-death of our condition, becomes His.
And it is precisely His Flesh, and nothing else, that reveals the Glory. The Glory is God Himself, who manifests Himself in His unique splendour. This Glory is His, that of the Word, which we contemplate in the "flesh" of the man Jesus.
In reality, every flesh comes from the Word; in its turn, the Word is the life and light of every flesh.
John does not narrate the transfiguration, his entire Gospel is a Transfiguration, an Epiphany of God, a contemplation of the Glory in the flesh of the Son. From this moment on, John will no more speak of the Logos, but of the Son, and God will be called Father. The Son is full of the Gift of Knowledge of the Father. That is why it is the Son who wants and can communicate the Father to his brothers and sisters.