The Joy of Christmas

As another year draws towards its end, the twinkling of Christmas lights glitter above the snow-covered yards. Holly trimmed wreaths darn front doors and Christmas trees glow through front porch windows. What is this season of celebration about?

Gift Giving?

Family Gathering?

Cookies and Egg-nog?

Why do so many close themselves in? Why are some moved to sadness not joy? What happens when pain and fear, doubt and loneliness leave no room for rejoicing? What have we to say to those who mourn - mourn lost hopes, lost dreams, and lost years? What have we to say to those overcome with mounds of sorrow and dread topped with confusion about where it even comes from?

Lift your lanterns my friends.

Lift them high up above.

Let them illuminate the Christ child in the manger of love.

Let the world see.

Let them remember the tale of the hope that was born for one and for all.

What is the hope?

What is the promise?

What was the message that inspired the songs?

Into the darkness, into the night, into the fear and the doubt and the pain, into the loss, into brokenness, into the loneliness, sorrow, and dread, entered a powerful, conquering, unquenchable LIGHT.

Something not from us, not of us, beyond us, above us, something not in the least dependent upon us, comes to us in the stillness before us, when we surrender ourselves and choose to Believe!

And the Joy, Oh the Joy, that fills us, even in the darkness of our sorrow and pain. The Peace of the season wraps our dried, withered, deadness like the brown earth under a thick white layer of fresh fallen snow. The Gladness glistens over us like the twinkling lights playing over the dark branches of the dead trees in the yard. The Joy glows through the darkness of night like the bright evergreen through the window of our soul.