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Dear St. Christopher’s Family,
As the lights of the Christmas season burn ever more brightly, I’m reminded of that great prophecy of Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them a light has shined.” (Is. 9:2) Even as the Christmas lights get brighter to the point of being blinding as we drive around town looking at all the preparations for the joyful season ahead, we remember that we are in a dark time. You can take that as literally or as figuratively as you want, but by that I mean we are actually in the darkest time of the year. This Sunday will mark the least amount of sunlight we will get this year as the earth tilts away from the sun to its farthest point.
The early church was aware of this and set for us this season of light for a reason. No, we don’t have exact birth records for Jesus, or John the Baptist, or really anyone in this story of the first Christmas. Instead, the church chooses to mark the birth of our Lord at this time because moving forward, the light will only get brighter. Christmas, then of course Epiphany, are the seasons of light. That gives us hope, but it doesn’t change the fact that it is very dark now.
For some, as the holidays approach, there is an acute awareness of the darkness as others are celebrating. Those who are anxious, those who mourn, those who lack—these people walking in darkness await a great light also. It is these I think God is especially close to in this season. In that spirit, I want to commend to you a special service offered by our friends at the Abbey (details below). Blue Christmas offers those who struggle during this festive season a chance to pray together and look forward to the Light of the World breaking forth on us. For those who find it difficult to make a joyful noise at this time, this service reminds us all that the reason God came to dwell among us is that he heard the prayers and the cries of the broken-hearted.
This does not take away anyone else’s merriness, nor does it diminish joy. But the light does overcome the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not.
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