A Message for Christmas
A PHRASE I read over and over again at this time of year comes from the opening of John’s Gospel: “the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”.
These words come from the poetic opening of St John’s telling of the life of Jesus. He speaks of how Jesus was there as part of the creation of the universe and came, in human form, into the earth He with the Father and the Holy Spirit created. He came to His own, even though His own did not receive Him.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
I think the reason this phrase has stood out for me this year is my desire to find joy in the midst of so many things that challenge. We have seen people fleeing from their homes because of war or oppression. We have seen lives taken in a desire to seek power and in the name of a faith. We have seen death caused by accident and freak events. We have seen and heard so much that points to darkness.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
If you look back at the last year what shines out for you? Don’t let the darkness crowd in, what is the light, it may be a Maglite bright beam or the glimmer of a single candle flame. What brings your light?
Over the weekend, I was struck by the shared joy of sports men and women as they stood to applaud and cheer eight-year-old Bailey Matthews at the Sports Personality of the Year awards; a small boy with cerebral palsy who completed his first triathlon unaided this year. “You can stop cheering now,” he said, to the audience of star sportsmen and women as they stood, clapped, cheered and wept.
Or, more locally the joy of hearing of the work done by local men, women and young people at the recent Pride of Redditch Awards. Again there is joy, there is hope. Or, seeing the simple work of one person helping another in a moment of need.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
In the birth of Jesus, we see God humbled, God held in the arms of a young mother. That same God who can hold the whole of creation in His hand. May you know the love of God this Christmas and may the magnitude of this put all our worries and concerns into perspective.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Happy Christmas.
Rev Paul
