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Christmas, Cycle A
Our Lady of Grace
December 25, 2019
A Guiding Light in the Darkness
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Back in the nineteenth century, in the 1870’s, there was an American preacher named Phillips Brooks.
One December, shortly before Christmas, Phillips Brooks visited the Holy Land. On that Christmas Eve, he made the 2-hour trip south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem on horseback.
From a distance, Brooks saw the little town of Bethlehem lit up against the darkness of the night. That sight made a great impression on him and a year later it inspired Brooks to write some verses about that night.
His church organist then composed a tune to go with the verses. That hymn has become one of our popular Christmas carols and, as you probably know, it goes like this:
“O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.”
Darkness and Light in Scripture
“In thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light.” These words stirred me this week as I prepared this homily.
For me, they express the contrast between darkness and light that Christmas is all about. In our first reading, the Prophet Isaiah says: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone.”
Isaiah is looking ahead to a moment when God will penetrate the darkness that can make our lives so gloomy. He actually foresees a moment when God will break through and be a light in that darkness.
We see Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. And yet, the story of Jesus’ birth tells us that even that star which guides the Wise Men does not drive all the darkness away.
Instead, the light of that star continues to shine in the darkness and remains there as a help and guide through it. I would suggest that for us, the light of Bethlehem continues to operate in very much the same way.
Light in Darkness Today
In our gathering this Christmas morning, each of us — myself included — could list a number of points where we are experiencing some kind of darkness. And it is precisely in those experiences of darkness that you and I are invited to look to the light of Bethlehem.
(1) It may be loneliness after the death of a spouse or close friend. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem assures us of the presence of Emmanuel, God-with-us, as we seek consolation.
(2) Or perhaps it may be the darkness of searching, of wondering why we are living and what we really believe. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem gives us a model in Jesus — the way, the truth, and the life — for where we are going and how to get there.
(3) Perhaps we find ourselves in the darkness of cold, of a relationship with a son or daughter that has grown cold. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem gives us the warmth of God’s love and moves us to extend and accept glimmers of hope for what can be regarding a possible reconciliation.
(4) Or perhaps we find ourselves in the darkness of feeling trapped in some destructive habit or addiction. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem gives us the possibility of human growth and invites us to look for persons or programs that can help us with that growing.
(5) And finally, in case I’ve missed anyone, perhaps we find ourselves in the darkness of anxiety about our financial security. In this darkness, the light of Bethlehem gives us hope by finding our inner security in Jesus, as we try to work out the difficulties.
Conclusion
So, “In thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light.”
Yes, experiences of darkness will be there for each of us. But, the birth of Jesus — the Light of the World — can make a difference.
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