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December Blog

There’s a powerful passage of scripture that sings its way into our hearts like an angelic chorus.  Handel’s Messiah has engraved it musically upon our imaginations.    Isaiah 60:1-3 announces:

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Isaiah 60:1-3

Each of us recognizes that the world in which we live is a very dark place.  Life is unpredictable.  The major disruption in the Lord’s hopes and dreams for us lies in the darkness of our own human nature.  But the word of God as related by the prophet Isaiah reminds us that help is on the way.  There comes the promise in the opening verses of the Gospel according to St. John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God --- and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

St John's Gospel

I have always loved candlelight services on Christmas Eve, celebrating this Incarnation, this “enfleshment”, of God’s love.  The lights of the church are typically extinguished.  Only the “Christ candle” is shining.  Then the ushers come forward  and , with their large candles in hand, receive the flame from the Christ candle.

They slowly proceed down the aisles lighting the small individual candles held by the waiting, expectant parishioners.  Slowly, gradually the whole  sanctuary is aflame with light.  Just as this holy light has dispelled the surrounding darkness,  we pray that the light of the world will dissipate our hatreds and animosities.  

 I remember another Gospel song:

It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing.
That's how it is with God's love
Once you've experienced it;
You spread his love to everyone;
You want to pass it on.

Gospel Song

May the Lord bless you this Christmas to be a light in your small corner of the world.  “You may be the only light in someone’s darkness.”

Amen

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Shine Like the Stars

Available for Pre-Order.  Each of us has been given a gift: our life. Someday we must return it to its rightful owner. We are free to use this gift in any way we choose: to glorify God or to glorify ourself. St. Paul used his to glorify God and, in so doing, found the secret of joy. decided to write a devotional commentary on his letter to the fledgling Christian community in Philippi. They too were discovering the secret of genuine joy. I am hoping that the same faith which dazzled them will do the same for you, and that the same joy which filled their hearts will fill yours. Get ready to shine like stars.

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