Dec 24
In the darkness of Christmas Eve, people across Alaska and across the world, will gather in churches and hear the words of the prophet Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” Isaiah 9:2
This time of year, there is much talk about darkness in Alaska. Even as Christmas Day dawns on the bright side of the winter solstice, in Fairbanks, where I live, the sun will be above the horizon not even 3 hours and 45 minutes. In many communities to the North, the sun will not rise at all Christmas morning.
Yet, the true Light, the incarnate Light of God will shine. It will shine brightly, mysteriously, and defiantly into the darkness of this world and the darkness of people’s life.
The Christmas story and our Christmas celebrations are full of light. We wonder at the story of the Christmas Star. We sing of a stable lamp lighted. We envision glories streaming from heaven above—an image more colorful in a land of the aurora borealis. We decorate trees with twinkling lights. Candles glow in the windows of houses. Even in Arctic Village, way up North at the base of the Brooks Range, giant inflatable Peanuts lawn ornaments glow with holiday cheer.
We shine light into the darkness of this season.
The true light of Christmas, however, is brighter than all of these. Stars at night; stable lamps; the aurora; twinkling lights; candles; glowing lawn ornaments; the sun itself; all these lights can be overcome by darkness. Even the light of day is overcome by night. The light of God’s incarnate love, however, the Christmas light that shines in the child born in the stable at Bethlehem, Jesus, that is a light that no darkness can overcome. It is the light of creation itself. For in the beginning, according to the poetic language of Genesis, God said let there be light and there was light. Light! But not the sun: it wasn’t until the fourth day of Creation that God made the sun and the moon. From the beginning was only true Light of God’s Love: God’s creative purpose; the Light of divine glory; the light of the Life of all life.
That is the Light of Christmas.
In Jesus this Light has come into the world and the world cannot overcome it. The Light of Jesus is Life and Love, and a promise that in his Light there is grace, healing, justice, and redemption to be found shining, if only dimly, tenderly, at times, in the darkness of the world and this life, but never overcome. This is the Light with the power to break forth in the glory of an everlasting dawn and the flashing sparkling of eyes filled with hope and expectant joy!
Merry Christmas!