Monday, April 10, 2023 – John 1
The joy and glow from Easter Sunday continue into, you guessed it, Easter Monday! In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Monday after Easter is called Bright Monday, and I think the gospel writer John, definitely would approve!
John begins his gospel with the same words that opened the whole story of God with his people in the book of Genesis – in the beginning. Genesis goes on to detail the good universe God created, including the humans that were meant to have a special relationship with God. John will use his gospel to show how God acts in a new and exciting way in his creation. God sends his Word, who is Jesus, to be the light of the world.
Yet when God sent Jesus, the Chosen People and the rest of the world preferred darkness to light! But that didn’t stop Jesus, for as John reminds us, the darkness cannot overcome the light.
Spoiler alert! This is the heart of the Easter story and John tells his readers the end of the story at the beginning of his gospel. Jesus overcomes our sin, the power of Satan, and the finality of death – all the darkest things in our lives and in our world – and shines the light of love, forgiveness, and grace to chase away all the shadows that we want to hide in.
The rest of John’s gospel will fill in the details of the new creation God is bringing about through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. But don’t miss the essence of the story! The darkness doesn’t win. The light does.
And that’s why today is Bright Monday! Enjoy the glow!!
Questions for reflection
- Are you enjoying the glow from Easter or have you moved on to the next thing in your week? What do you need to remember about the resurrection to recapture the glow?
- What new and exciting way do you want God to work in your life? Turn that desire into a prayer and ask God to move!