November 2025 Reflection

The Word Became Flesh

Sr. Thérèse, CFR

The joyful season of Christmas is almost upon us! It’s amazing how the birth of one

Man, 2,000 years ago, continues to affect our world in so many ways. We see this in the

prayers, readings and hymns at Mass, but we also see it in the little festivities that many peo-

ple love about Christmas.

In addition to the beautiful prayers the Church gives us and the Christmas traditions in the

convent, I enjoy catching a glimpse of a sparkling Christmas tree, the smell of baking cookies,

and the hope that a fresh snowfall may come.

These little festivities are meant to lead us into the deeper meaning of Christmas, the joy

behind all the festivity. A verse from St. John’s Gospel says it all: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).The Second Person of the Trinity, who became Man, is referred to as a “Word.”

Recently this got me pondering…

Words are interesting. We can discover a lot about someone by listening to their speech.

There are also various ways to use words. As human beings our words can range from flippant to profound, destructive to life-giving. In a culture filled with noise, we sometimes forget the immense power that words carry. What does God have to say about speech? In the Gospel, Jesus says, “Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Mt. 12:34).

I’m not encouraging us to over-analyze, but considering how important words are, it’s

worthwhile examining this a bit. We’re all on the journey and we all have ways we can

grow…how might God be inviting us to a deeper conversion in our speech?

Here are some questions that could help us reflect.

Do my words tear others down, or build them up?

Do I look for ways to sincerely affirm and encourage others?

If I wound someone with my words, do I become aware of that and ask their forgiveness?

If I am wounded by another’s words, do I become aware of that? Can I set aside time to look

at this with God and consider if I may want to have an honest conversation with that person?

Do I receive the loving words of another when they’re offered, or do I try to deflect them?

God also speaks words. In fact, St. John of the Cross said that God has only spoken “one”

word, and that in this word He has said everything He wants to say. This “Word” is Jesus

Christ. “For, in giving us, as He did, His Son, which is His Word- and He has no other- He spoke to us all together…in this single Word” (The Ascent of Mount Carmel).

In this Christmas season, what if we looked at the mystery of Jesus’ Birth with fresh eyes? Je-

sus was sent to us by God the Father. God has revealed Himself to us! He is no longer un-

reachable, unknowable, or unseen. If we want to know who God is, what He’s like, and what

He says, all we have to do is look at Jesus and listen to Him. And when God speaks, it is al-

ways real, deep, life-giving, and enduring.

May our hearts become ever more receptive to hearing the loving voice of God, for this is how any deeper conversion begins. Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks…how wonderful must You be, Father, if Jesus was the Word You spoke.