Apocalypse 10, 8 -11 The Book from the Angel of God

We know now that the weather is changing. The leaves of the trees are turning yellow and red to form a beautiful scene. We also begin to feel a little bit cold. Some of us are preparing for the coming winter. Br. Michel took the photograph of our community to make a Christmas card. I suddenly realized that the Christmas season is coming again. Some days ago, I read the first chapter of the Gospel according to John. I am thinking about ‘the Word of God becoming flesh’.

Dear fathers and brothers,

Today’s first reading reminds us of our responsibility to assimilate the Word of God and make it a part of the inner man. John received the book from the angel of God and swallowed it. What were the contents and purpose of this book? This passage doesn’t tell us about that. We only see that John had to receive it into his inner being. When the book was in his mouth, it tasted sweet. And then, it felt bitter when it was swallowed totally. About this detail, some biblical commentators say that God doesn’t change the effects the Word will have in our lives: there will be both sorrow and joy, bitterness and sweetness. God’s Word contains sweet promises and assurances but it also contains bitter warnings and prophecies of judgment. The Christian bears witness to both life and death. He can not dilute the message of God simply to please his listeners.

Jesus testified to that in today’s Gospel. He knew that if he went up Jerusalem at that time, He would suffer and be crucified. But He readily accepted and obeyed the Word of God within his flesh. On the contrary, the Jews also received the messages of God but they didn’t witness to their neighbors, the pagans, and didn’t tell them about the one true and living God. Instead of being devoted to evangelizing the temple area was used as a “religious marketplace”. This made Jesus angry and he cleansed the temple, the house of prayer.

Getting back to the point: the Word of God becomes flesh; God’s Word is compared to food. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel experienced eating the Word before they could share it with others. The Word must always become flesh before it can be given to those who need it.

We see nature changing, the weather, the trees and so on. How about our inner self? I mean how does our heart assimilate the Word of God? How can we accept the changes in life with both sweetness and bitterness when the Word of God becomes our flesh? Lord! Help me to draw near to you with gratitude and joy for mercifully giving me your Word. Give me good medicine to assimilate your Word so that your Word will become my flesh, and I can share your Word with others. Amen.