One of my favorite moments of the year is the candle lighting at Peachtree on Christmas Eve. It’s a moment of beauty and reverence. It’s also a bit nostalgic, reminding us of all of the times we have celebrated the birth of Christ in that place. However, this year as I walked up the steps of the chancel holding my candle and looked out into the Sanctuary, my first reaction was sadness. I was momentarily struck because, due to safety protocols, the room was only partially filled, not brimming with the faces, light, and energy of all the other Christmas Eve services over the years. That first reaction brought home the emptiness and darkness of this past year. However, as the congregation moved then to the final verses of “Silent Night,” and we raised our candles in the air, the words of the Apostle John came to mind: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
As the room began to brighten, I was drawn to the light and away from the areas of darkness. I was no longer focused on what was missing but instead on what was present. The beauty and hope of that experience had returned. The darkness had been overcome by the light lifted high.
As we begin a new year, we are still in the midst of much darkness, still struggling with disease and dissention. Looking forward, we can choose to add to the darkness or choose to bring light into the year ahead. We are God’s people, and we must remind ourselves once again of our reason for being, our calling to join Christ daily in the restoration of all things. May we commit ourselves to let our light shine wherever He has placed us and reflect the hope of Christ that overcomes the darkness of our world.