Merry Christmas!
What a beautiful night that this is. It is so quiet and peaceful. Today we rejoice for a Savior has been born for us. We once again get to rejoice as we cry out: “Gloria in excelsis Deo” “Glory to God in the highest.” Therefore, on this night we come to know and trust in the reality that the world has been brought towards the light of Christ.
Thus from the Prophet Isaiah we heard: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.” From the Gospel of Saint Luke we heard concerning the shepherds: “The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them.”
With this I think of the many ways in which we allow ourself to be cast into darkness. All that we have to do is turn on the news and we will see that. The more that we allow ourself to take our sight off of Christ the more we are cast into darkness. Without Christ we lose the hope of the Resurrection and the life which is to come. With that we pursue a path of wordiness that will never fill us and thus fear what may come next.
In our Gospel we encountered the shepherds. They had no clue what it was that they would encounter on that hallowed day. Nevertheless, their life changed forever as it was brought to light. So too throughout the Gospels we encounter so many people who encountered the light of Christ and their life was changed forever. This list includes the likes of the apostles, the woman at the well, the woman with the hemorrhage, and Dismas to name a few.
On this night we allow Christ to shed this same light upon us and this world. From this light the darkness becomes illumined and we are forever given hope. We are a world and people that have been touched by sin and yet God loved us so much that He took on our human flesh and dwelt among us. This reality should bring comfort into our life as the light of Christ continues to touch and illumine each of us.
We like those encountered in the Gospel have encountered this great light and we too have been transformed. An individual who encounters Christ has had their life transformed forever. Through this transformation we are given the hope that we can overcome the darkness that is present within this world. Through the light of Christ we are given the faith to endure and to trudge forward. Through the light of Christ we are given the charity necessary to spread and live the Gospel message in the midst of this world.
