‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.’ Isaiah 9. 2
‘In him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ John 1. 5
For some weeks now Christmas lights have been up in many city centres, and as I have walked around Sheerness, I have seen Christmas trees up in many houses even at the beginning of November. During the Covid pandemic, it seemed that many people had put their Christmas trees up very early, I commented on this to a neighbour, and her response was ‘People need cheering up more than ever at the moment.’ Christmas comes at the darkest time of the year and Christmas lights and street decorations do lift the gloom of winter. But the light of Christmas is also a reminder to me, of the light of God’s love that came into the world at the birth of a baby in Bethlehem, the baby was Jesus the Son of God, the Saviour of the world.
Jesus’ birth brought God’s light and love to a world that at times can be so dark, at the time of Jesus but also today. As I write Russia is at war with Ukraine, there is conflict between Israel and Palestine, the land associated with the birth of the Prince of Peace. Refugees are fleeing persecution and oppression, and nearer to home people are facing their own struggles and tragedies, whether it’s the cost-of-living crisis, redundancy, divorce or the terminal illness of a loved one. The birth of Jesus is a reminder for me that a light has come into the world, light that the darkness does not overcome: that is the hope that Christmas brings to me.
Our violent, divided world – and our wounded, troubled hearts – are, incredibly, the darkness into which God’s everlasting light has come, in the form of a small child.
Christmas then is a yearly reminder to us of that incredible truth that God has chosen to become one of us and entered our world in the messiness of our lives and has given them infinite value. So often it is in the darkest night you see the stars shine most brightly. In the depths of the dark nights, the shepherds and the Magi followed the brightest star. And it was this star that guided them to a new beginning and a new hope. In our consumerist society, that is so evident at Christmas, may we look for the true gift that comes to us to look to the true shining light of Christmas, Jesus the infant, the child born in a stable in Bethlehem. I believe it is because of the state of the world and in the struggles of our lives we need to look to Jesus. It is in the coming of Jesus we find a new beginning, a new life, and a renewed hope. Jesus, the brightest star in the darkest night who helps us to fix our eyes on the future with an expectant hopefulness. We live in a weary world in need of hope.
We need a thrill of hope in the darkness. We need our hearts stilled in the darkness that we may be fully able to recognize the great and glorious light that has come. When we follow the light, it will lead us through the darkness. We have the hope that darkness transcends into light, after night there is the light of dawn, after the darkness of winter is the lengthening days of spring. In the darkness of our world is the renewing, restoring, healing of the light of Christ. I believe Christmas is a sacred season, when we are given space to reflect on the light and love of Christ. We can hold to the sacredness of the season by keeping our eyes on the light of hope, joy, love, peace, which are all in Christ.
I would like to wish you all a happy Christmas and may the light of Christ warm your hearts and homes as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ the light of the world, once again.
Rev. Jeanette McLaren.
