LATE DECEMBER THOUGHTS

First Presbyterian Church has a candlelight communion service on Christmas Eve, always a beautiful and moving service. I never preach, instead I share a Christmas Story; this year I will read Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo. What I do is go to a bookstore and read the new children's Christmas stories, when one brings tears to my eyes that is the one I will read this year.

We will travel on Christmas Day, as early as we can, to be with our family, especially our grandaughters, for Christmas. We will also visit with friends in North Carolina and then return to our daughter's home on the way back to Connecticut. I will be back preaching for Epiphany, Three Kings Day, January 6.

Here are the pictures we took at Thanksgiving.

Here are the thoughts I wrote yesterday as first thoughts for the January Newsletter.

We don’t really know the date of Jesus’ birth although it is unlikely that it was in midwinter because that is the one season of year when the shepherds do not abide in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. It is widely believed that when the Christians sought a time to celebrate the savior’s birth they chose midwinter because the pagans in whose midst they lived celebrated the solstice, or as the Romans called it the Saturnalia at this time. In many cultures the shortest day of the year of the year is celebrated, with great partying because it marks the date when the days no longer get shorter, but instead begin to lengthen. The return of light and warmth is a time of great joy for those of us who love the warmth of summer, and for those whose livelihood depends on growing crops. It was possible for Christians to celebrate Jesus birth unnoticed at this time of year, their pagan neighbors would have thought that they were joining in the general celebrating and partying going on in honor of the season.

Although the date we celebrate for Christmas may be somewhat arbitrary it seems a wonderful time to celebrate the incarnation of one who is the light of the world. One of the prophesies we read in Advent says: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-- on them light has shined.” (Isaiah 9:2) The Gospel of John says: “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us... “ (John 1:9-14)

On Christmas Eve we end our service by filling the sanctuary with candlelight as the fire is passed from one to another, and we are invited to carry our light out in the world that we also might shine as lights in the darkness. I believe that it was Father Christopher who said that it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. Christmas is only the beginning of the season of light, because we move on to celebrate the revealing of the light of Christ to the Gentiles, then the Baptism of Jesus, and onward with the message about the light that shines in the darkness which the darkness cannot overcome.

My prayer for you as we begin this new year is that the light of Christ may shine in your life bringing you peace and comfort, inspiration and direction, and strength for the journey of life. I also pray that each of us may be at work bringing light to our dark world. St Francis prayed that where there is darkness he might sow light. Let his prayer be a gift to each of us in this season of light.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.