Verse
Psalm 97:1–2 (ESV)
“The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.”
Meditation
St. John the Evangelist stands within the bright circle of Christmas light, yet he teaches us that the glory of God is not grasped by sight alone. Psalm 97 confesses that the LORD reigns, even when clouds and thick darkness surround Him. God’s majesty is real and active, though hidden from human control. His throne is founded on righteousness and justice, not on what we can comprehend or possess.
Moses once asked to see God’s glory, and the LORD answered with mercy and restraint. God would reveal Himself, but not in fullness. Moses would live by seeing only what God chose to show. In John, that longing reaches its fulfillment. What Moses could not behold fully, John proclaims with clarity: the Word of life has appeared. He has been heard, seen, looked upon, and touched. God has not abandoned His holiness, but has revealed it through His Son.
John’s witness is sober and faithful. He does not point to himself, nor does he invite curiosity about hidden things. At the end of his Gospel, he directs us back to Christ alone. “Follow Me,” Jesus says. The testimony of John exists for this purpose: that sinners may know forgiveness, walk in the light, and trust in the advocacy of Jesus Christ the righteous. On this third day of Christmas, the Church rejoices that the eternal Light has entered the world, not to dazzle the eyes, but to cleanse the heart and give life.
New Testament Verse
1 John 1:1–2 (ESV)
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.”
Old Testament Verse
Exodus 33:22–23 (ESV)
“And while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
Collect
Grant, O Lord, that as You revealed the mystery of Your Word through the faithful witness of St. John, we may walk in the light of Christ, confess our sins with humble trust, and rest in the forgiveness won for us by Jesus Christ the righteous, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Hymn Verse
O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky:
We praise You for the radiance
That from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps,
Shines on from age to age.
(“O Word of God Incarnate” — William W. How, 1867; public domain)
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