Day 1: The Word Became Flesh

Lord God, Almighty King: in your hands all things are placed. If you wish to save your people, no one can resist your will. You made heaven and earth and all that is contained in them; you are the owner of all things. Who, then, can resist your majesty? Lord, God of our fathers: have mercy on your people, for the enemies of the soul seek to destroy us and the difficulties that confront us are very great. You have said: "Ask and it shall be given to you. He who asks receives. Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will grant it to you. But ask with faith." Hear, then, our prayers. Forgive our faults. Turn away from us the punishments we deserve and make our weeping turn to joy, so that, by living, we may praise your holy name and continue praising it eternally in heaven. Amen.

¹In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning. ³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴In him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God ¹³children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "This is the one I spoke about when I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" ¹⁶Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

In the eternal silence before time, the Word already was with the Father, bearing the full splendor of divine life. Then, in the humility of a young woman's yes, that same Word pitched His tent among us. He did not merely visit; He became flesh, fragile, hungry, capable of tears and laughter, of weariness and wonder. The Infinite entered the finite without shrinking, the All-Holy embraced our dust without stain, the Eternal One accepted a birthday in time. This is the staggering truth we contemplate: God did not send a messenger; He came Himself, clothing His divinity in our humanity so that our humanity might be clothed in His divinity.

Every tabernacle lamp flickering in a quiet church, every Host raised at Mass, every moment we receive Him in Communion is the continuation of Bethlehem and Nazareth. The Word who once rested in Mary's womb now chooses to rest in us. In the Incarnation, God forever married Himself to our human story; He will never annul this union. Therefore, no darkness in our lives is alien to Him, no joy too small to share with Him. He has made our flesh His home so that we might one day dwell forever in His heart. Let us adore Him who loved us so much and in the silence of our prayer, whisper with all the Church: "O Word made flesh, glory to You who have made Your dwelling among us, full of grace and truth."

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.