With John’s help, we grow in our understanding of God

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Christmas Weekday, Friday, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

“Testimony” is the operative word today.

John the Baptist gives testimony to Jesus the Christ, the Holy One of God. In John’s own words, he proclaims —

“Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

It doesn’t get any clearer or stronger than that. And all because John saw the Spirit, “like a dove,” come down from the sky and rested upon and remained in him. He went from not knowing him to seeing clearly just who he was!

And in the first letter of John there is another kind of seeing — a self-seeing going on. John proclaims that what we see and know is that we are “children of God.”

John admits he does not know what we shall be, but then proclaims we will see God “as he is.”

Seeing God face to face meant death to the Israelites throughout the Old Testament (Exodus 33:1; John 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:16).

But now was the expected outcome of being true children of God.

Our psalm reiterates that —

“All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.”

There is a whole lot of seeing and knowing, and remaining with and in God.

Thank God for the continuing and growing understanding of our God and our relationship with our God, especially how it is spelled out to us through the eyes, faith, and writings of John!