The Word became flesh

We have been focusing on various titles of Jesus in recent posts.   Among other titles, we spoke of Jesus as the "Word", or the "Word of God".   As the Word, Jesus is God's speech to the world.  Jesus is the full revelation of God the Father.  "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9).
Around Christmas, we usually hear this title of Jesus a lot.  We hear the following from the Prologue to the Gospel of John,  "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."  (John 1:14).   This statement is one of the most beautiful ever written in the English language.  The most powerful God descended down to man, and become one of us out of love.  As Archbishop Fulton Sheen (who we pray is canonized soon) once said, it would be like one of us, out of love for dogs, becoming one of them.

Do we ever ponder why He did so?  Why did the Word become flesh?  The Catechism lists several reasons.
1) The Word became flesh in order to save us by reconciling us with God (p.457).  Before all else, God came to save us for heaven, from hell.
2) The Word became flesh so that we might know God's love (p.458).   God loves us so much He wants us to spend eternity with Him. Jesus reveals this reality.
3) The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness (p.459).  By his teaching and example, Jesus showed us how to become holy.
4) The Word became flesh to make us "partakers of divine nature" (p.460).   Saint Thomas Aquinas says that God became man so that he "might make men gods".

Isn't all of this foundational to our life?  Do not we all want to be saved? Do not we all want to be loved?  Do not we all to be holy?  Do not we all to share in God's inner life?   I don't think there is really much more any of us could want in life, both now, and in heaven. 
Also, think about this.  What if others could see in us the means to salvation?  What if others could see in us true authentic perfect love?  What if others could see in us holiness?  What if others could see in us a touch of the divine?  Wouldn't that be awesome to think we could radiate all that?  We can if we are united to the Word made flesh.

I quoted part of this already, but let's read the full verse of John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."   We saw His glory!  The Word becoming flesh is something glorious.  Now, keep in mind, we are not talking about Jesus sitting on a throne, which He now does.  We are not talking about Jesus dressed in robes and adorned with fine diadems.  We are talking, rather, about Jesus being born in a dirty stable with animals around him because there was no room at the inn.  This, though, is glorious!  Why?  Because it shows just how much God loves us, that He descended from his throne like this to become one of us.  That is what makes the Incarnation (meaning "enfleshment", based on the expression that is the title of this post) glorious. This is why John could, instead of telling the Infancy narratives as the other Gospel writers do, talk about "seeing his glory", and be referring to the same event just as truthfully!   As I have stated before, this is what makes Jesus Christ so great, that he is so fully human, and yet, at the same time, fully divine, God himself.  It is a mystery we may never fully comprehend in this life, how and why this could be, but we know for sure by faith that it is true.

Now, if Jesus lives in us, and we live in Him, and become "divinized", could we not say that we, too, could radiate, even if dimly, some of His glory, to those around us?   Wouldn't it be awesome if someone, when speaking of our lives, says " (He or she) radiates the glory of God."   Wow, I think that would be, for lack of a better phrase, pretty cool.

Even though we are halfway around the calendar year from Christmas, let us remember, the words we hear at Christmas are meant to be pondered year round.  The Word, who became flesh, speaks to us every day and every hour!  Are we listening?   Are we thanking God for this truly majestic gift?  If so, continue to do so, and do so better each day.  If not, start now.  By listening to, and being grateful for the Word everyday, our lives will never be the same.

The man who protected this gift, and whom we all need to thank daily for doing so, is Joseph.  Yes, it was Mary (through the Holy Spirit) who gave the Word birth, and ultimately, it was her yes that paved way for the Incarnation.  Joseph had nothing to do with either.  However, Joseph was the one assigned by God the Father to protect His Son after the birth.  Both the birth and the protection afterwards were necessary.  Thus, when we think of the Word made flesh, let us take a minute to think of Joseph, thank Him, and ask him to protect us, protect the treasure that is in us, like he protected the gift to mankind that was his son.

Joseph, diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.