Christmas Light

Luke 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.  All went to their own towns to be registered.  Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.  He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.

Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:  to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

  “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

  and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

John 1:1-14

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.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 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, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

There are two ways the Bible tells the Christmas story.  The first way is the Luke way… the way I just read… the way Linus tells it on stage in A Charlie Brown Christmas… the way that gives you all characters you need to set up a Nativity Set or put on a Christmas Pageant.  It’s a top notch way to tell the story!

The other way to tell the same story is the John way.  It’s the mystical way.  I’ll read you the whole thing right before we sing Silent Night, but it’s the version that says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. AND… The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”  Really good stuff, but honestly, not easy to make into Christmas Pageant or a Nativity Set.  Which is why the John way of telling this story is TYPICALLY NOT the “Christmas Eve go-to” version.  

But you know, the world these days isn’t exactly TYPICAL, and when the world isn’t exactly typical, the mystical can often connect us with a story more profoundly than if its told strictly as a narrative.  That’s true for me this year.  I find the Divine reassurance that light shines, even in the midst of overwhelming darkness, to be what I need more than shepherds this year.  I find that hearing the Divine insist that, all the darkness the world could ever muster, will never overcome the light… I find that mystical truth somehow transports that baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, more deeply and more profoundly into my heart than just the narrative alone.  I ALSO find that in these times when the world is not exactly typical, that what is even better than HEARING that Divine light shines in the darkness and that darkness does not over come it… what’s better than just hearing it is seeing it with our own eyes, even in a very small ritualized way.  So… let’s see it. 

Catherine/Imelda… Bob/Don would you please?  (all lights and candles are extinguished) 

Now that its as dark as we can get it, I’m going to read something from the mystic Howard Thurman.  Here we go… 

I will light candles this Christmas.   

Candles of joy, despite all the sadness. 

Candles of hope where despair keeps watch.

Candles of courage where fear is ever present.

Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days. 

Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens. 

Candles of love to inspire all of my living.

Candles that will burn all the year long.

(Christ candle is lit with first line.  Candles for windows are lit with each following line.  Altar candles lit with final line)

It’s better isn’t it?  With the light?  Better with the light than in the in the darkness, isn't it?  Particularly better if you can allow this light to be for you, not just simple candle light, but a sign of the mystical light of Christ.  The light that brings forth love, compassion, peace, healing and hope.  

This is YOUR light.  That’s what the angels proclaimed, “Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy for all the people; for UNTO YOU is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  It is “UNTO YOU” that this Savior, this Christ, this LIGHT has come to shine in the darkness.  It is for YOU.  And with that light YOU TOO have now been empowered to “shine all the year long.”   

Would you who are sitting on the outside ends of each pew light your candle from one in the widow please, and light one another’s candles down the pew to the aisle?  

Now, as you do that, notice how sharing the light never leaves you with less light for yourself.  The light of Christ… the light of love, compassion, empathy, tenderness, joy, and hope… sharing those will also never leave you with less for yourself.    

Lets just take a moment now to sit in the light you’ve helped spread around us all.  (Pause significantly)  

See what the light of Christ has done to the darkness.  See what YOU’VE done by sharing that light with just one other person!  Friends and neighbors, THAT is Christmas!  You and I sharing the Light that the Divine first shared with us.  THAT is Christmas.  Sharing a light that shines in the darkness.  A Light which the darkness shall not, will not, CAN NOT over come!  The Light, the Christ, the Savior has been given to YOU, and you have been invited this Christmas to share that Light with others in the form of love, kindness, joy, compassion, grace and joy throughout the year to come.  As St. Francis said, “All the darkness of the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” And together we have so much more light than just that of a single candle.   Amen.