I consider myself lucky to live in an area of Florida where I can attend the Tridentine Mass (Traditional Latin Mass) on Sundays. I value this Mass as a great gift and a source of the spirituality that fills my life. The beauty of adoration and worship, its Latin content, take me back to my beginnings in Catholicism when my French-Canadian grandmother took me to my first Catholic Mass in 1958.

This Mass always culminates with a reading from the Last Gospel. In this Gospel, St. John declares that Jesus is the source of all life on earth. That Jesus is the light in the darkness and the love that will live forever. St. John acknowledges Jesus as THE WORD and professes faith in the Divinity of Christ.

This may be the Last Gospel at the Tridentine Mass, but as you read it, it could certainly serve as a most wonderful way to profess your affirmation along with St. John, that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was made nothing that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men: and the Light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the Light, that all men might believe through Him. He was not the Light, but was to give testimony of the Light that was the true Light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God; to them that believe in His name: who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH.

And dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Thanks be to God.

The last words of the Mass are” Deo Gratias,” Thanks be to God. And as the missal denotes: It is eminently proper that the last word of the Mass should be one of thanksgiving.

May you read and remind yourself each week of the omnipotent gift of Jesus, the Word Made Flesh, who asks only that we believe in Him that we may share eternal life in a place He has prepared for us full of infinite joy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Susi

PS: Kyrie Eleison

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