God as relationship?

Wednesday, January 04, 2017

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

I would like to write a few reflections on the first chapter of John’s Gospel, which has been my favorite chapter of the Bible right from the time when I was a young boy. I don’t know why: perhaps there was some mystical connection with my young soul, or perhaps it was because as an altar boy I knew that as soon as the priest read that chapter (called the “Last Gospel” back in those days), the Mass would soon be over. Anyway, please keep me in your prayers as I attempt to reflect on this most mystical of all Bible texts.

In the beginning

It has often been pointed out that the Gospel of John begins the same was as the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis: in the beginning. Actually, however, John’s chapter extends back before Genesis. Genesis begins with the act of creation (God created the heavens and the earth). John begins before the act of creation took place and emphasizes what Biblical scholar refer to as the “pre-existence” of the Word, or of the Christ, since the Word is actually a code reference to what we understand as “the Christ;” that is, the Word which existed from the beginning as opposed to Jesus Christ Who came into the world some 2 millennia ago.

(Is your imagination capable of thinking back that far? Try to: the time you spend will be time that you are thinking mystically and will help take you out of the daily stuff and concerns of your life; in fact, it can also be a mood elevator, just as centering prayer or meditation can be, because essentially, when you think on these things you are entering the mystical realm.)

Back to the Gospel: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

The Word was God and the Word was separate from God and could be with him? How can this be? Here we have the very genesis of Trinitarian Theology: a not-too-subtle hint that God is relationship. It is too early to speak of the persons of the Trinity (although the Spirit is mentioned in Genesis as “hovering over the waters”). We will explore this notion of the Trinity as relationship in future reflections. If, however, you would like to explore it further, I recommend you read The Divine Dance, recently published by Fr. Richard Rohr, which is devoted to the notion of Trinity as relationship—a relationship that includes you and me as well.

Think on these things, will you? Don’t feel inadequate if you find it difficult to “wrap your mind around these matters.” You certainly will not be alone. But for today, I would simply like to leave you with the reality of the relationship between this Word-with-God-and-is-God.

Too much to ask? Perhaps. But realize that before any of us were created, there was a lot going on—even long before the heavens and the earth were created. I remember thinking about these things when I was a little child, long before I ever went to school. Perhaps it just is that children are more free to imagine the unimaginable. Perhaps that is why Jesus encourages us to “be like children” ourselves.

God bless you!