‘Readings: 1 Samuel 3:1-10; Psalm 139:1-6,13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:40-51
Encountering the mystery that is God is what the first chapter of John`s gospel is all about starting with a universal picture of `Logos = the Word.` Originally meaning `a ground`, `an opinion`, `an expectation`, or `reason`, it became a technical term in philosophy for the `principle of order and knowledge`. John`s hypothesis is that this became embodied in Jesus the Christ and he names the first witnesses who encountered this living principle starting with John the Baptist who got an inkling of this sense of `God Immanuel = God with us`.

Then comes a focussing in on Jesus - with Andrew intrigued by John`s witness, dragging his brother Simon along to find out about more. And so potential Christian community is shown as starting with a couple of ordinary working men. And things start rippling out from there as people are challenged by Jesus - firstly Philip, a common Greek name, possibly epitomising the many Gentiles called God-fearing who joined in synagogue activities but could never become accepted as Jews - which is perhaps why so many were won over to Christianity where they were fully accepted.

It is this Gentile in turn who persuades Nathanael, a strong Jewish name meaning `gift of God` to meet Jesus. Perhaps Nathanael was meant to represent an example of those within Judaism who would come to accept Jesus as Messiah. After all fig trees had long been seen as a symbol for the southern kingdom of Judah - God had spoken to the prophet Jeremiah 600 years earlier, through a vision of two baskets of figs - the basket with good figs being equated with those who would endure exile, whilst the basket of bad figs meant those Judeans who had been left behind.

But then in the very last verse of this chapter comes one more rippling out to include you because there is a shift into the plural in the challenge `very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and angels of God ascending and descending.` - It makes me think of that famous First World War poster with Kitchener pointing saying `Your country needs you!` but in Jesus` era the image of a ladder and ascending angels would have reminded them of Jacob and his wrestling with God..

In this opening chapter, it`s as if the gospel writer is encouraging all kinds of people to come and experience Jesus as the one in whom we too can encounter God`s presence - God`s spirit is no longer to be seen as limited to heaven but rather is a living reality on earth. This encountering of Jesus was wonderfully life-changing for those who met him in reality - but what about those living long after his death? How are we to encounter Jesus today?

We no longer have the concept of a three tiered universe as held in Jesus time - earth layer, demon layer and heavenly layer - with Jesus providing a bridge over demonic forces of oppression or ill health. Rather, as Walter Wink puts it, `we do have the image of the spiritual as within-ess, not however a flat, limited dimensionless point but a within coterminous with the universe - an inner realm every bit as rich and extensive as the outer realm. The psychologist Carl Jung spoke of this rich inner dimension as the collective unconscious, meaning by that a realm of largely unexplored spiritual reality linking everyone to everything.`

Which is where I see being the body of Christ in this day and age as so important, not only sharing common values based on love and peace and forgiveness but also expressing these Logos principles in our crazy world . And the energy for this starts with encountering the divine whether that comes through contemplating gospel stories, our dreams or meditative times.

I have learnt to value that this within-ess, when grounded in Christ and focussed on light and peace and love, somehow taps into the spirit dimension permeating the universe which in turn is not only there for us but also ripples out from us to the ones we encounter in our daily lives making a difference there too. So I guess I would see the word Logos more in the sense of a `creative energy` both present to and making a difference within the world.

You might like to spend time contemplating where you have witnessed that recently or maybe where God is calling you to be MAD - to make a difference - or you might like to spend time just being, encountering God`s love for you this day and evermore.