Yesterday’s gospel from St. John made me reflect a little.

Unlike the synoptic gospels, St. John maintains that Jesus Christ — the Word of God — existed from the beginning. Christmas is not really so much about the physical birth of Jesus Christ, as it is about his divine Incarnation; the Word becoming flesh (Jn 1).

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 into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.

Verses 10 and 11 resonate with our times:

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God …

St. John’s use of typology gives everything in his gospel a deeper meaning. Over 2000 years ago, ​“his own people” referred to the Jews, but today it also refers to us Christians.

I pray that Christmas all over the world becomes less commercial and more about Jesus; and also for the gift of authentic Christian faith.