Week 4, Day 2: "Love's Pure Light"

Donna
29 minutes ago
2 min read

The Adoration Of The Shepherds, 1622 by Gerrit van Honthorst

He did not wait...

till hearts were pure. In joy he came

to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.

to a world like ours, of anguished shame

he came, and his Light would not go out.

Madeleine L'Engle "First Coming"

In Advent we have waited in darkness for the coming light. Sometimes the darkness feels harsh and overwhelming. Sometimes it creeps up on us and silently smothers our joy. At other times it can feel more purposeful like preparation for a new birth.

In John 1:9, it is written,

"The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world."

How dearly we need this true light now...

In the nativity paintings above, the light emanating from the baby illuminates the faces of all around him: Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels. held in wonder and amazement, while the darkness surrounds them. This same Divine Light also brings illumination to us; through Christ's Light, we become light.

This Christmas may you feel embraced by the Divine Light come to live within and around you, as it came to the humble shepherds:

^"Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,the Lord." (Luke 2:9-11, NRSVUE)

In her book, Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Kimmerer writes about divine light, calling it a Sacred Fire: "We all carry a piece of that sacred fire. We have to honor it and care for it. You are the fire keeper" she writes.