“In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” This is how the evangelist John began his account of the story of Jesus. While the synoptic writers started their own stories with his birth in Bethlehem of Judea, John went deeper to identify the actual “origin” of Jesus the Christ. Although Jesus, like every human being, was born of a woman, he was not an ordinary human being because already he was before he was born. In the beginning, before all time, he already existed. He was the almighty Word of God, through whom all things were created, visible and invisible. He was the mighty force that gave form and meaning to the empty and formless primeval world. The powerful light that pushed back the primordial darkness that covered the earth. This light shone brightly and graced the entire nature with its beauty.
The Power of Darkness
However, something dreadful happened and disrupted the incredible order in nature created by the Master Craftsman through His powerful Word. The disobedience of man reinforced the power of darkness and it returned to torment the universe. This resulting evil posed a mortal threat to all of nature, but especially to man himself, who was absolutely powerless against the power of this imposing darkness. Accordingly, he needed to be saved from this misery; otherwise, he would be lost forever.
Against this background, the primeval Word of God was needed once again to recreate and reorder the world. However, this time the Word would take flesh and dwell among humans, while on this mission. When this Word eventually came in human form in the world, It appeared as that primordial light which darkness could not comprehend (Jn. 1:5).
Bright Morning Star
It is for this reason that Christmas is known as the festival of light. The celebration of the glorious incarnation and birth of “the bright morning star” (Rev. 22:16). It is the beginning of a new human history, recreated through the eternal Word of God. The prophets announced this great event of the light that would return to subdue the forces of darkness. The Prophet Isaiah, for instance, proclaimed, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Is. 9:2).
The angel of light announced the birth of the Incarnate Word of God. For the glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds when he came to inform them of the great event, an experience that frightened the shepherds greatly (Lk. 2:9). When the incarnate Word started His ministry officially, he declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12)
Epiphany
Although the promised salvation came through the Jews, it was not restricted to them. This is the reason for the feast of epiphany. The bright Morning Star announced to the gentiles the arrival of the long-awaited light that would also enlighten the gentiles: “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising“ (Is. 60: 2-3).
Through this gracious manifestation, God made the well of salvation available to all peoples and every generation. Whoever must be saved from the power of darkness, must now personally go and draw water from the well of salvation. Whoever continues to walk in darkness is responsible for his fate because the light has come and we are invited to “arise and shine!“ (Is. 60:1).
