Mystic Flowers - John 1 - Christmas 2C

Mystic Flowers

Tony E Hansen

Reflection based upon John 1: 1- 18, Psalm 147

Opening prayer 

Merry Christmas! Today is the 12th day of Christmas as we read John’s version of the Christmas story, and tomorrow begins the season of Epiphany.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.”

Often in the darkness, we may question ourselves and where we are on life’s journey. In that questioning, we learn about ourselves and how to navigate life, when we are honest with ourselves. It is here that we learn the value of boundaries and goal setting.

God has planted you here, this day and hour for a purpose. Yes You are a flower. (So what color are you?)

You and I are flowers of diverse colors and like all plants, we endure harsh conditions from to time to time, but we strive to grow and to blossom.

So yes from time to time, we ought to take time for ourselves, to reflect and to listen for the Spirit speaking and teaching.

"In the beginning was the Word..."

This Gospel passage takes us to a mystical beginning and along a mystical journey with a swirl of poetic grace, peace and divine optimism.

You can feel the mystic notion of God being present everywhere and in everything. This is a profound statement of God being encompassing while also being intimate with each of us as being within us.

Thus, You and I, flowers - children of God, are included in that mystical. This is a divine invitation to witness the mystical Spirit presence within and among us. That God loves us so much God lives with us.

That with the breath and love of God, we are brought into being into this world as a part of the world. Therefore, we are reminded that all creatures and things reveal the work of God: from the trees, the creatures, the rocks, the waters, the vast cosmos and all humanity. All creation is a gift to all of us to share with each other as children of the Creator.

“In him was life and the life was the light of the people.”

Through that light, we can marvel and awe at wonderful, even when politics and broken worlds make us weary and skeptical. We can look into the future with hope because God has given us life and a light through Christ - a place to start, again and again.

Yes, we remember that we are formed in darkness to meet life, and every night, we rebuild and recharge to meet the blessings of a new day. Just like Jacob wrestling at night to find in the morning a blessing was bestowed.

That is why we set boundaries for ourselves to keep out the negative and pray to have courage to maintain them. Sometimes, we have challenges and trials like Jacob, and sometimes, we as people will fail.

Each day, each hour, we are given another chance to breathe and to live. We might worry because we may fail, but we live and grow in this moment with blessings of grace that sustain.

This is a new morning, and place for us to witness all that has been given to us and all that we can share together.

“The Word became flesh and lives among us, and we have seen the divine glory full of grace and truth.” 

This grace will not be contained but spreads throughout generations and all ends of the Earth. This grace, this mystical life, is meant for you and I.

Open your ears, hear the wisdom of God speaking to you.

Open your hearts to let the Spirit be with you.

Open your eyes to let angels guide you.

The Psalmist writes, “God grants peace… fills you with finest wheat, …God sends out [their] command to the earth.”

From the waters to the rocks to the creatures to our neighbors, we are given opportunities in that command to grow with peace that endures.

We have forgiveness to let go, and we have birth into new life with Christ with the wisdom to serve. Then when we serve God and our neighbors, we transcend divisions, and find all that we need is available to us. Doors open and impossible becomes possible.

That is the Christmas promise: that we can be one with the Spirit and we can grow in the Spirit. 

Let go of what you don’t need and be one with the Spirit in this season. Let go of all that is holding you back and keeping you from being the mystical flower that God has meant you to be.

Let the Spirit reveal to you. 

Let that light shine in your darkness to bring you hope and life so that you and I, as mystical flowers, can blossom in the new day.

Thanks Be to God