As the Advent season continues, so does the daily decorating process of my Advent-to-Christmas tree.
The first quotation in scripture is “Let there be light.” Tradition has God speaking those words as the first transformation of creation, which was originally crafted as a “formless void” covered in darkness. Light was the first differentiator in creation, and so it seems fitting that adding lights—in this case, votive cups to hold candles—is an appropriate first differentiator between a bare metal infrastructure and a beautiful—and meaningful—symbol of Christmas.
And so I ask, in the creation that is your life, where do you need to add more light? What portions of your life are lived in darkness? Are there aspects of your life that need to be brought out into the light, in this season of prayerful pondering? Are there portions of your life that need attention, need your loving care, perhaps need forgiveness, or even transformation?
And how might you, in this season of increasing darkness, bring light to those around you? Where in the world, or in your neighborhood, does the darkness seem impervious, or perhaps taken for granted? What might you do to shed light in these “dark days” of winter? How might you help others to see the light?
