Today’s reading from John’s first letter is both provocative and evocative. Especially when it is allowed to echo the opening words of John’s Gospel —
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Some see this line of scripture as one of, if not the most profound passages of scripture. The “always was,” and the “always will be,” are certainly captured in these words.
These beginning words of John’s letter echo the “always was” from the beginning, which we explicitly say “always was”!
But then John verifies Godliness entering into our humanness, verified by “we have seen with our eyes,” and “we have heard,” and “we have looked upon” and “touched with our hands.”
Repeatedly, John testifies and proclaims that, “the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us,” we now proclaim it to all.
The physicality of Jesus is, at the same time, divinely revealing God among us; or Emmanuel, God with us!
The Gospel reveals the same conviction and proclamation as Simon Peter and, “the other disciple whom Jesus loved,” John, came to the tomb after having received news of the empty tomb from Mary Magdalene; she was the first witness to the empty tomb.
Mary thought it was grave robbery, but “the other disciple,” seeing the cloth that had covered Jesus’ face and the other burial cloths rolled up in a separate place, simply, “saw and believed.”
In the scriptures, there is a lot of seeing and hearing, and even touching going on.
Faith is experienced. Faith is communicated. Faith is shared.
Is there any name in all time that is shared and spoken about by as many people, and as often and in so many places on Earth? And this, more than 2,000 years after the first time this word was spoken: Jesus!
