Being Children of the Light

 Can there still be Joy and Hope after tragedy?

Is there anything we can yet celebrate this season?

             I have heard reports that some people during this time of unimaginable and unspeakable sadness of heart are removing their Christmas decorations.

             This is so understandable.

             The darkness of this grief is immeasurable.

             But, maybe we can embrace a new light to shine on an old tradition, the celebration of "Christ"-mas – with the joy and symbol of the Christmas lights.

 

If you walk in darkness,

you do not know where you are going.

While you have the light,

believe in the light,

so that you may become

children of the light.

John 12:35-36

 

            It is humanly easy to be so traumatized by the events that took place at Sandy Hook School that we lose sight of our greatest strength and comfort during this time of mourning.

             What better way to recall that God is with us – “Immanuel” – then to be see the symbolic sparkling of the lights that speak to our Christian faith that are displayed on the Christmas Tree?

 Though I fall I will rise;

though I dwell in darkness,

the LORD is a light for me.

Micah 7:8

 

            Today, let us embrace this Christmas season as a time to recall that God himself came to all of us in a most unusual way – and because he did, our human life with all its pain and sorrows, stresses and anxieties, doubts and fears, has been changed – forever!  

“The people who were sitting in darkness

saw a great light,

and those who were sitting

in the land and shadow of death,

upon them a light dawned.”

Matthew 4:16

 

            Let us take a moment to allow the Light of Christmas Joy and Hope to shine into our hearts. That during this dreadful time of loss of life and innocence we may embrace God’s eternal love. And that the Light of the new born Jesus will bring comfort and consolation to the families, friends, and all who were affected by this unspeakable tragedy on that very dark Friday morning.
 

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying . . .

“I am the Light of the world;

he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness,

but will have the Light of life.”

John 8:12

 

May the peace that can only come from a living God

 shine upon us all!

 

 “Let us pray, one for the other;

let us pray for each other.”

(Oremus pro invicem)