We end the year reading from the 1st chapter of St. John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” The Word of God begins all things and in the Word all find their completion.

The responsorial psalm for today calls the heavens to sing and the earth to rejoice.

  Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
    let the sea and what fills it resound;
    let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the LORD.

Creation today needs the blessing of the Word, doesn’t it?

St. Bridget of Sweden influenced 15th century artists, like the one above, with her vision of the Nativity. Instead of in the stable, Mary places her Child on the earth outside so that the earth –all creation– might receive his blessing along with Joseph and the shepherds.

The Word, who made all things, became flesh to bring blessings to all that came to be.

Listen to Maximus, the Confessor, speak of the marvelous adaptability of the Word made flesh:

“The Word of God, born once in the flesh (such is his kindness and his goodness), is always willing to be born spiritually in those who desire him. In them he is born as an infant as he fashions himself in them by means of their virtues. He reveals himself to the extent that he knows someone is capable of receiving him. He diminishes the revelation of his glory not out of selfishness but because he recognizes the capacity and resources of those who desire to see him. Yet, in the transcendence of mystery, he always remains invisible to all.

For this reason the apostle Paul, reflecting on the power of the mystery, said: Jesus Christ, yesterday and today: he remains the same for ever. For he understood the mystery as ever new, never growing old through our understanding of it.”

God’s love is an adaptable, respectful love. That’s the way God loves us, that’s the way he loves all creation; that’s the way we should love.