The Light of Christ

"What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." So begins the St. John's Gospel. He reaches way back to the genesis of creation to make sure his readers understand: that which created is born into the creation in Jesus Christ. The Word of God, who spoke light into existence is now  shining with his own presence, as when he was transfigured before his closest disciples, and they saw him as blindingly bright as lightening in their presence. 

My wife, Laura, and I lived in another town years ago when a hurricane rolled through and left us without power for a couple of weeks. It was dark at night. We had plenty of camping experience and we were young, so we set up a camp-kitchen in the back yard, and we managed just fine. We really noticed when the sunset in those days. The neighborhood was dark, and the house was very dark at night. Once we got a generator, we turned on a single lamp, and it seemed like that was all we would ever need. Our little house was transformed, revealed. It is amazing how brightly a little light shines in darkness. 

Jesus, the full grown Rabbi Jesus, teaches his followers about the importance of letting their God given light shine. In St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus teaches, "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

Christmas is about recognizing the source of light and life, revealing that the source is not distant, but comes right into the world among us, and remembering that we have each and all been gifted with that light to help brighten the world around us. We are not to be intimidated by the darkness, no matter how dark it may seem. We are not to hide the light God has given to us, but let it shine for others especially those stranded alone in the shadow. 

Christ, The Light, is to be shared; it is an eternal light that was before the beginning (Alpha) and will remain after the end (Omega.) St. Nicholas shone brightly with that light, giving money to the poor anonymously; he was not the source of light, but he knew the source. St. John and St. Matthew also knew the source of their light and let their light shine through their writing, so that by their gospels, we too might know the source of life and light, and shine the light within us in our own time. "What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people."