A light shines in the darkness

By Barbara Miller
RR Ministerial

“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. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:2,6
These words of the prophet Isaiah proclaiming the birth of the Messiah - the Christ Child - centuries before it would happen. Centuries later we still proclaim the birth of the Messiah as we celebrate the Christmas season.
Now each of us approaches the Christmas Season in different ways: some of us scurry and worry, wondering if it will all come together; others of us approach it with boundless energy and enthusiasm; others of us are disappointed by the commercialism that often surrounds us in this season; still others of us approach it quietly with an ache that begs to be answered - - and sometimes we come towards Christmas in all of these ways. But I would like to say a special word to those who bear an ache in your hearts: Christmas is for you, too, whether you ache because you can’t be home or someone can’t come home for Christmas, or because of the pressure and financial strain that often comes with this season, or because of past memories of painful, unhappy Christmases, or because of failing health, or because someone you love has died and Christmas is not the same without them; whatever lies behind the ache in your heart, you need to know that God is still here.
The Christ child is coming again, for you, to be with you and to share with you the message of God’s unending love and grace. You are not alone, though when everyone is smiling and excited about Christmas, one can feel very alone and isolated in one’s pain. Be gentle with yourself, know that God is with you, cradling you in the everlasting wings of grace, carrying you forward into God’s new creation to a day when “God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Rev 7:17).
As we continue our preparations for the arrival of the Christ-child, I pray that the light of the Bethlehem star will shine in each of your lives, guiding you forward to the day of celebration when we welcome anew the birth of our God.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace,
so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13