In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through Him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through Him.
All that came to be had life in Him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and He was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through Him,
and the world did not know Him.
He came to His own domain
and His own people did not accept Him.

But to all who did accept Him
He gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of Him
Who was born not of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God Himself.

The Word was made flesh,
He lived among us,
and we saw His glory,
the glory that is His as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as His witness. He proclaims:
'This is the one whom I said:
He who comes after me
ranks before me
because He existed before me.'

Indeed, from His fulness we have, all of us, received-
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father's heart,
Who has made Him known. - John 1:1-18 -

This is how John or John the Baptist appeared as a witness. So John said, "I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness:
Make a straight way for the Lord."

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, 'Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?' John replied, 'I baptised with water; but there stands among you - unknown to you - the One who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo His sandal-strap.' This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

The next day, seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, "Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the One I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because He existed before me. I did not know Him myself, and yet it was to reveal Him to Israel that I came baptising with water."

John also declared, "I saw the Spirit coming down on Him from heaven like a dove and resting on Him. I did not know Him myself, but He who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit." Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that He is the Chosen One of God. - John 1:19-34 -

THE  ANNUNCIATION

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her, 'Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.' She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel [Gabriel] said to her:

"Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end."

Mary said to the angel, 'But how can this come about since I am a virgin?' "The Holy Spirit will come upon you" the angel answered and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.

Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God. 'I am the handmaid of the Lord' said Mary 'let what you have said be done to me.' And the angel left her. - Luke 1:26-38 -

THE  VISITATION

Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, "Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled." - Luke 1:39-45 -

THE  MAGNIFICAT

And Mary said:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exult in God my saviour;
because He has looked upon His lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is His name,
and His mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear Him.

He has shown the power of His arm,
He has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly,
The hungry He has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel His servant, mindful of His mercy
-according to the promise He made to our ancestors-
of His mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever."

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home. - Luke 1:46-56 -

THE  BIRTH  OF  JESUS  AND  VISIT  OF  THE  SHEPHERDS

Now at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. The census-the first- took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

While they were there the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it turns to watch their flocks during the night.

The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, "Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has be born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:

                                                "Glory to God in the highest heaven,
                                                and peace to men who enjoy His favour."

Now when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.'  So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say.

As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told. - Luke 2:1-20 -

THE  CIRCUMCISION  OF  JESUS

When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

JESUS  IS  PRESENTED  IN  THE  TEMPLE

And when the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, they took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord - observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord - and also to offer sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. 

Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel's comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took Jesus into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

THE  NUNC  DIMITTIS

"Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel." - Luke 2:21-32 -

THE  PROPHECY  OF  SIMEON

As the child's father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about Jesus, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, 'You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected - and a sword will pierce your own soul too - so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare."

THE  PROPHECY  OF  ANNA

There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child, Jesus, to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

THE  HIDDEN  LIFE  OF  JESUS  AT  NAZARETH

When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God's favour was with him.

JESUS  AMONG  THE  DOCTORS  OF  THE  LAW

Every year his parents used to go up to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day's journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.

Three days later, they found Jesus in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies.
They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, "My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been looking for you."

"Why were you looking for me?" Jesus replied "Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father's affairs?" But they did not understand what he meant.

THE  HIDDEN  LIFE  AT  NAZARETH

Jesus then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and men. - Luke 2:33-52 -

Indeed, Jesus is fully human and fully divine, and true man and true God. The only Begotten Son of God. Son of the living God, born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus began His ministry when He sought baptism at the hands of John the Baptist..........

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -