Lessons 9 from the Divine Office of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: John 1:1-14 (Day Mass Gospel); Treatise 1 on John by St. Augustine the Bishop.

Lessons 9 from the Divine Office of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: John 1:1-14 (Day Mass Gospel); Treatise 1 on John by St. Augustine the Bishop.

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was made nothing that has been made. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. And the Light shines in the darkness; and the darkness grasped it not. There was a man, one sent from God, whose name was John. This man came as a witness, to bear witness concerning the Light, that all might believe through him. He was not himself the Light, but was to bear witness to the Light. It was the true Light that enlightens every man who comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him He gave the power of becoming sons of God; to those who believe in His name: who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh (Genuflect), and dwelt among us. And we saw His glory - glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father - full of grace and of truth.

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Lest ye consider what I have to say as worthless, which is the judgment ye so often pass upon the word of a man, ponder this: The Word was God! Now perhaps some Arian unbeliever may have the audacity to say the Word of God was made, and is therefore a creature. How can the Word of God be a creature, since by Him all things were made, and He is thus the Creator? If the Word of God be a creature, then there must be some other Word, not a creature, whereby He was made. And what Word is that? If thou sayest that it was by the word of the Word himself that He was made, I answer that God had no Word other than His one only-begotten Son. But unless thou sayest it was by the Word's own word that the Word was made, thou art forced to confess that He by Whom all creaturely things were made was not Himself made at all, but is Himself the uncreated Maker of everything that was made. Wherefore, believe the Gospel.