Holy One, Beloved God, Christ-Child, I pray that you would inspire these words and make them a word from you. Where these are only mine and go astray, I pray that no harm would be done. May we all make room in our hearts for you and bring hope to the world around us. Amen.

Do you see what I see? Do you hear what I hear? Do you know what I know? A child, a child shivers in the cold, let us bring him silver and gold...

The melodies and poetry of the Christmas season have been whispering to us of hope, of beauty, and of light. Tonight, after 24 days of anticipation and waiting, we light the Christ candle and celebrate the light coming back into the world. This light was only a tiny little thing. A small miracle, born in a humble manger to humble parents in a dark corner of the world. A tiny light that grew and began to spread from person to person as stories were told and faith shared. It only takes a little light from a tiny candle to chase away darkness and when we bring our small little lights together, we can chase away even more. 

There is certainly a darkness in our world that needs to be driven out. We see it when we read or watch the news. We feel it in the despair of our neighbors in the lonely places of the world. We experience it from time to time in the depths of our own sadness. We are all susceptible to the darkness of hopelessness and sometimes we need someone else to hold a tiny little candle of hope to drive away the darkness from our own souls. Will you hold and share the light with someone? 

The tiny babe in Bethlehem opened his eyes for the first time in a dark place and out of those eyes came a divine love and light that has been transforming our world ever since. The Christian tradition teaches us that this tiny human child somehow held the consciousness of the creator of the universe; that in him was born a human divinity that bridged the gap between God and humankind; and that through him we could learn perfect, holy love - a love that drives away despair like a small light in a dark room. 

All Advent we have been preparing our hearts for the Christ-child. We have prayed for hope and peace and joy and love. We have made room in our hearts and held open our arms for the divine child who sparks the light within each of us. Let us listen again to the words of the gospel writer and invite the light into our aching hearts:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

[Jesus, the Christ-child] was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth...

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” (John 1:1-14, 16-18)

Let us make room and invite the christ-child into our hearts and spread the light to one another and out into the world. May this little light grow into a blaze that chases away all darkness! The Light has come into the world! Amen.