October 1 (Daily reading: Luke 1; John 1) In the name, Jesus Christ, we see the existence of the human and the divine. Luke wrote about the human birth of Jesus. The angel Gabriel announced the birth of John (called John the Baptist) to Zechariah. He announced the birth of Jesus to Mary. The ministry of John the Baptist would forever be linked to that of Jesus. Mary, pregnant with Jesus, went to visit Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John. Elizabeth said to Mary: “When the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy” (Lk. 1:44). Zechariah prophesied after his son was born: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the LORD to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins” (Lk. 1:76-77). Zechariah knew that the Messiah would come to save His people.
John the apostle did not write about the human birth of Jesus. He emphasized the pre-existent and divine Christ. He called Him the “Word,” who “was in the beginning with God … In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men” (Jn. 1:1-4). Like Luke, he wrote about the ministry of John the Baptist: “There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him” (Jn. 1:6-7). John the Baptist testified that Jesus was “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29). John the apostle also affirmed the humanity of Jesus: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14). Jesus became man so that we might know Him, believe in Him, and receive Him. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (Jn. 1:12).
– Al Gary
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