We celebrated Lucia -a sort of Swedish/Nordic variation of Readings and Carols, but with more 'special effects'- at Liverpool Cathedral. This is my short reflection for the occasion.
[Is. 9:2-6; Jn. 1:1-14; Lk. 2:1-14]
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." (Jn. 1:5)
John the Evangelist's prologue speaks of cosmic events, and yet these cosmic events became very earthly. The Light of the World came down and lived amongst us.
However you interpret the Incarnation and Nativity of our Lord, the story of Christmas reminds us that God took the first step, God made the first move.
Light came to live amongst us.
The darkness John mentions isn't the natural difference between day and night.
It's not the setting of the sun every evening that we should fear, that would be superstitious.
What John is speaking about is the darkness of chaos, of non-creation, of a broken relationship between our Creator, who cares enough to send thé Light into that darkness, and Creation, often unsettled, reckless, complacent, which turns away from the loving bond with God and within itself.
The Light that is Christ came to expose the need for that bond to be restored, mended.
The story of Christmas -however you celebrate it- reminds us time and time again, confronts us with the fact that however troubled or distant or complicated our relationship with God may be, it will never go away, it will never disappear nor disappoint.
Perhaps even more so in those times when the darkness seems the most overwhelming and scary.
Light came to live amongst us as a human being to point out to us that we all cary that light, that divine spark in us, from the very beginning of Creation, burning still into life eternal.
And we're all called to let that light shine into the world around us, in our relationships, within ourselves.
We're called not to hide under the bushel, we're called not to shy away from thé Light, but to live out that grace, those talents, our contributions to a world where the lights seem to be going out once again.
We're called to testify to it, like John the Baptist and Saint Lucy.
Just as Christ, we're called to point out to others the divine spark within them, and not try to snuff it out because of envy or fear or greed.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran pastor and martyr, wrote:
"Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating.
By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are." -end quote.
The Light of the World has come to us, in us.
Sometimes it seems a distant flicker, sometimes it's a raging flame.
But shine it will!
And the peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.