John tells the Christmas story differently from Matthew and Luke. He emphasizes the truth that is at the heart of Christmas: the appearance in history of God manifest in the flesh, what we call the incarnation.

That story begins right here in John’s first letter, where he proclaims the incarnation to us in order to complete our joy. The purpose of what he writes in his letter is “to make our joy complete,” to bring our gladness in Christ to completion. So, let’s begin our advent considerations this December by looking at this joy.