One tiny little light. That describes in
the simplest of terms what comes to mind when I think about Christmas. It comes from my childhood memories of
multiple Christmas Eve services at Kenmar Presbyterian Church all wrapped up in
one. It came towards the end of the service, after the choir, the scripture
readings, the Christmas carols, and the sermon. On the altar at the front of
the chancel rested a manger set, and as all the lights in the church dimmed,
the only light remaining was one tiny little candle set in the front of the
manger. The pastor would sing in his lovely tenor voice, “Dear Little Stranger,
Born in a Manger.” The light from candle would cast shadows of the manger onto
the wall behind it, twinkling small and brave and true, like the infant
receiving the lullaby.
There are a lifetime of additional
memories I could share about Christmases past, the single orange in the toe of
the stocking (a treat beyond measure), or the scent of the pine tree, or the
sound of my father’s voice reading the Christmas story from Luke before we
could go into the living room to see the gifts under the tree. But the
simplicity of that one tiny candle is what grabs my attention.
Perhaps it is the littleness of
Christmas that matters most. God, the creator, redeemer, sustainer, the One
Beyond our human capacity to grasp, poured all of what is good, God’s faith and
hope and love, into the tiniest of
vessels – a helpless and totally dependent little baby left in the care of two
naïve, poor, parents. Jesus, the helpless and dependent, is life, and that life
is the light of all people, darkness not able to overcome it.
It is so easy to fall under the spell of
bigness in our culture of supersized meals and more is better. It is easy as a
congregation to compare ourselves with bigger churches, and our small town with
bigger metropolitan cities. But the miracle of Christmas, indeed the hope of
Christmas, is in small, personal, intimate acts of love and grace and justice
expressed not in wealth or dominance, but in peace and kindness and hope in the
darkest of circumstances.
Jon
Kabat-Zinn wrote, “The big things in life are things.” This month our
congregation will be involved in a number of worship experiences, decorating
the church, leading one of the Woodstock Minister’s Fellowship Lunchtime Advent
Services, the Hanging of the Greens, four Advent worship services, putting up
and taking down the Singing Christmas Tree structure, providing gifts for those
in the greater community in need, two performances of the Singing Christmas
Tree, and the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. The challenge for us is to
remain focused on the Light of all people in the midst of what is going to be a
very busy month. Be alert, looking for that light in the smallest acts of
kindness, of sharing, of peace. Only God knows what a tiny little light can
accomplish in the darkness of winter.
Thanks
you.
Pastor
Anne
