Dear Friends in Christ,
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)
We find ourselves now in the season of Epiphany: that short season that is sometimes lost between Christmas and Lent. It’s when we remember the wise men coming to see Jesus. It’s when we mark the Baptism of our Lord. It’s when we come to deeper understandings (epiphanies, if you will) of who Jesus is and why he came to live among us. And throughout this season we are reminded that it is a season of light: that just as the star led the wise men to see Jesus the first time, you and I are continually led by and called to be reflections of the light that is Jesus to one another and to the world.
I heard a story of this a few weeks ago. The one sitting in my office was sorting through a recent and heart wrenching grief. Even as he spoke of his pain though, he was also telling about the gifts that had been discovered and received during what was an otherwise terrible time. One of those came on Christmas Eve.
They had arrived here at worship in kind of a daze and had walked right by the basket of candles that waited for them to reach in to take one. They found their place in the pew and quietly sat and listened as all of those around them rang bells in celebration of the birth of Jesus, for they had missed those, too, when they walked in. When we came to the candle-lighting, the ushers passed the light as they always do. Our youngest usher at that service paused at their pew to see that they had no candles. The one relaying the story said he looked at them rather quizzically before moving on and they thought that was that. The tenderness of the next moment took them by surprise though for we were well into “Silent Night” when that young man came back with a couple of candles and handed them each one. And they were then able to light their candles, too, as they whispered the words of that wonderful hymn we sing each Christmas Eve by candlelight.
The one telling the story was telling a story of epiphany --- of a new and deeper understanding --- than what he had before. For in a moment he came to a sudden deeper appreciation of the whole family of God in this place and the gift of one noticing the need of another and meeting it. And in a profoundly simple gesture he realized what a gift it is to receive and share light with others. Even in the dark time they were living in. Perhaps especially then.
And so in this season we do give thanks for all the ways in which God sheds light on us. May we always remember that the simplest of gifts shared can help spread that light to others. All we have to do is pay attention and take the first step. And sometimes, as in the story I shared above, sometimes then the whole world is changed --- if only for one person at a time.
Peace to you and many blessings, Pastor Janet
