Monday prior to Christmas 2

 Psalm 147:1, 5, 11–12; Antiphon, John 1:14—The antiphon proclaims the mystery of the Incarnation: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. In the original Greek, the word ‘dwelt’ is derived from word for ‘tabernacle’. That is, the God who dwelt with His people in the tabernacle in the wilderness, who delivered them from bondage in Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land—He is the same God that assumed flesh and dwelt with us as the God-man Jesus Christ, the same one who delivered us from our bondage to sin, and will, at the Last Day, take us into our Promised Land, eternal life with Him in heaven.

John states, "The Word became flesh." Notice the link with verse one: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." -John 1:1 The Word that always "was" v. 1 now became a temporal event at a point in history. Furthermore, the Word that "was God" v. 1c now came into being as flesh, that is, he exists as a human being. We often say that Jesus is God. That is true. But here's an incredible statement: God became Jesus of Nazareth!

When he stepped out, Jesus Christ became the visible expression of the invisible God. He became a visual aid, as it were, to reveal the nature of the Father. He was God in a suit of flesh. He was God expressing himself in a language that we could understand. He was God announcing to the world: "I have come!"

Collect for Psalm 147: God our Father, great builder of the heavenly Jerusalem. You know the number of the starts and call each of them by name. Heal hearts that are broken, gather those who have been scattered, and enrich all from the plenitude of your eternal wisdom, Jesus Christ our Lord.[1]

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[1] Collect for Psalm 147, For All the Saints A Prayer book for and by the Church, © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY