The New Year

 "In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God and the word was God
.....and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us."

Sometimes we judge people on terms of keeping their word:

We describe someone to be 'as good as their word' or we say that 'their word is their bond'. When they say something they mean it! So they are faithful, trustworthy and reliable. Their words are not empty words. We value family and friends who can always be trusted to live up to our expectations - they do not come up short, they deliver. They can always be depended upon to come up with the goods. YOU ONLY HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING AND IT’S AS GOOD AS DONE.

These are our friends and they are few in number. There are some we can confide in with phrases like 'between ourselves', between you me and the wall' or 'this is to go no further' or 'don't say I said this', or 'you didn't hear it from me'.

By way of contrast there are some people we can absolutely rely on to tell everybody.

Children tackle us in this if we seem to contradict ourselves. Children take us very literally, and challenge us with the line beginning 'but you said... ' or 'but you promised...!' Children do not understand or are disappointed when we say 'what I meant was...' They consider it unfair. In the classroom the teacher who gives an idle threat which he or she fails to follow through will soon lose all authority and respect in the eyes of the pupils.

Some words we utter are more important than others, such as marriage vows, an oath on taking office, an election pledge. There are other people depending on us. We invest our lives and our future into wedding vows or by what we say at a job interview. We sometimes lag behind what we have committed ourselves to and are constantly catching up. There are consequences if we break faith. We might say 'you have my word on this ', or 'on my word of honour'. If there is a conflict or trial between two people over an issue with a Witness we say 'well it's your word against theirs.' One or both can be wrong, but both can't be telling contradictory truths at the same time.

But what about God's word?

When we say the WORD OF GOD, there in fact two meanings! One is literally the words of GOD in the Bible, the second is the name JOHN gives to JESUS HIMSELF.
Jesus is God's word.

(1) The first meaning is the words of GOD:-

Already twice we have said at Mass THE WORD OF THE LORD, and we have all responded THANKS BE TO GOD.

So there is something different when we say it is God's word. We swear on it, on the Bible, because the Word of God has and is the ultimate authority. We have it in writing. God's word is his bond. God has spoken. It is the last word!
When GOD speaks, something is happening. This difficult reading is actually setting the scene for the whole of God’s action.

At the Gospel we stand and we say 'Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.' Jesus' own words are the most important of all.

Mary said at Cana 'Do whatever He tells you' At Thabor, the Father says 'listen to him'.

(2) The WORD OF GOD is a person waiting to be heard! it is Jesus Himself.

WE ARE CALLED TO GREATER FAITH AND TRUST IN THE WORD OF GOD IN BOTH SENSES...

The Word of God still has power, as before receiving Jesus, The Word of God made flesh, when we say LORD I am not worthy to receive you but ONLY SAY THE WORD and my soul shall be healed'.

Jesus praised the man (the centurion) who uttered these words as having the greatest faith.

Jesus also compared his word to a rock, and blesses those who not only hear the word of God but keep it as well. He also said 'heaven and earth shall passage at but my words shall never pass away.'

So do we believe Jesus? Do we take Him at His word, when for example He : ‘Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life?’ Do we trust Him to bring us to eternity? Do we trust him that He will never let us go?

May we people of our word and people of the Word in 2014