Fr Trevor D’Souza, OFM –
Why should we put God’s Word first?
St John’s prologue (Jn1:1-2) states:
In the beginning was the Word
the Word was with God
the Word was God
If the Word was in the beginning (in Greek arche, meaning first), then who has been given the authority on this earth to put it second ?
When John said, “in the beginning was the Word”, by Word (in Greek, Logos, meaning the living Word, the Word of God) he was referring to none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In three powerful verses, he states eternal divine truths. The Word is eternal, was with God and is God!
John 1:14 the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
This Word, Jesus Christ, God became man, God-Man, took our form and shape and lived amongst us.
Flesh (in Greek, sarx, human flesh, human nature).
Dwelt (in Greek, skenoo, to pitch one’s dwelling place, tabernacle, tent).
The Word of God,
first came to us in the spoken form, (Moses, Judges, Prophets)
then came in the written form,
then came in PERSON.
The call of the prophets: “know his ways” that you may “walk in his paths” (Is 2:3).
How can we know his ways unless we know his word?
Jesus took us one step further, when he said, Come to me (Mt 11:28), learn from me (Mt 11:29).
The WORD himself has come down to us that He may teach us God’s ways so that we may walk in God’s path.
Hence we find two approaches and both are important.
One, read, study and meditate on the (the spoken, written, printed) Word of God.
Second, to-be-with-the WORD and learn-from-the WORD.
Advent, the season of grace, is a good time to place the WORD where it belongs:
FIRST and in the CENTER!
Advent is a good time to read the following:
Prologue of John, Jn 1:1-18
Infancy narratives Mathew 1:1 to 3:10 and Luke 1:1 to 2:52.
Daily mass readings
These readings will help us to discover and understand Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.
While you read, allow the Word to speak to you.
Use the Word for your personal and family prayer too.
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