Light

 December 19, 2020

“The entrance of thy words gives light.” —Psalm 119:130

The Christmas story is shrouded in darkness. Jesus is born in the night. The shepherds are keeping watch over their flocks by night. The angel speaks to Joseph in a dream at night. The wise men follow a star—at night, of course. It was into a world of darkness that Jesus came. John says “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” It is not accidental that the narratives of Jesus’ birth are nighttime stories. Jesus comes into the darkness of human life, shedding his light on our condition.

Most of us have felt that darkness closing in this past year. Too many have succumbed to it; not just the disease, but also the despair, turning to alcohol, drugs, violence. We are looking for the light at the end of the tunnel that never seems to come. Perhaps we are looking in the wrong places. The Light has already come, and shines in the darkness, but we too often close our eyes to it and wonder why we aren’t seeing anything good. 

The Light still shines. We’ve spent too much time peering into the darkness; it’s time to open our eyes to the Light of Christ so we don’t have to keep stumbling through life feeling lost and hopeless. The Light still shines, so let us give thanks and live in joy.