Aum.

What a very rational way to begin the story of creation.

Poetic, but rational.

Word. Not "sound". That would have made it more mystical.

Word.

Not "OM" or "AUM" - which Hindus say is the sound at the beginning of the universe. Hindus believe that as creation began, the divine, all-encompassing consciousness took the form of the first and original vibration manifesting as sound "OM".

The vibration of "OM" symbolizes the manifestation of God in form. "OM" is the reflection of the absolute reality, it is said to be "Adi Anadi", without beginning or the end and embracing all that exists.The mantra "OM" is the name of God, the vibration of the Supreme.

When taken letter by letter, A-U-M represents the divine energy (Shakti) united in its three elementary aspects: Bhrahma Shakti (creation), Vishnu Shakti (preservation) and Shiva Shakti (liberation, and/or destruction).

It's the Hindu expression of what Christians call "The Trinity".

It is a sacred sound, one that can be translated as meaning, "I am existence."  Not just creation, but that which preserves and liberates (and/or destroys) creation.

Or, in the words of John's Gospel:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Jesus, of course, is the "Word of God" who was in the beginning with God and is the light that shines in the darkness that darkness did not - can not - overcome.

The sound of the name of Jesus is a vibration of the sound of God which is Love.

Love incarnate. Love divine.

In the beginning was Love and Love was with God and Love was God. Love was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Love and without Love not one thing came into being. What has come into being in Love was life and the life was the light of all people. The Light of Love shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

That's a lot of words to describe what Incarnate Love is and what love incarnate can do.

I think the Hindus may have it right.

No rational thinking. No poetic words to describe a mystery.

Just a sound that vibrates throughout the cosmos, through human constructs of time, surpassing all human ability for reason and understanding.

It's the sound of Divine Love incarnate in humankind.

Aum.

Which sounds enough like "Amen" for me to say, "May it be so."