I A N - december 31 2018

Today on the last day of the year we read from what we call the prologue of John – the first part of the gospel of John.  In times past this gospel passage was read at every mass in what was called the last gospel.  It is a reminder that central to our life as Christians is Jesus.  John said, All things came to be through Jesus,and without Jesus nothing came to be.  At the Eucharistic prayer the priest says something similar to conclude the Eucharistic offering: through him, with him and in him – through Jesus, with Jesus and in Jesus.  

I don’t know if your remember this, but this idea was popularized when we were younger.  It says, each one of us is a Christian.  But when we take away Christ from the word Christian, what remains are the letters I, A and N – which means I am nothing.  Without Christ, I am nothing.  A person who calls himself a Christian but does not allow his life to be influenced by Jesus is nothing.  I believe that sums up what the first part of John’s prologue is communicating to us. Without Christ, I am nothing.  St. Paul would be more precise when he said, in Jesus, in him we live and we move and have our being. 

Well this may still be a long struggle for us but I believe it suffices if we simply ask ourselves – How important is Jesus for me?  Do I allow him to influence me in all the different aspects of my life?  How strong is this influence Jesus – is his influence stronger than my emotions, is he stronger than my personal ambitions?

And so we end 2018 today by reminding ourselves that Jesus is the beginning, Jesus is the middle and Jesus is the end of everything in our lives.  Without Christ, I am nothing.