In the beginning…
Thursday, December 31st, 2009As we turn the page on a new calendar year, scripture tells us to begin “in the beginning.” The gospel of John does not have the familiar nativity story to recount of mother, child, and animals in the manger. With poetic beauty John takes us all the way back to Genesis to the start of all creation, reminding us that the Word was with God, and WAS God from the very beginning of all creation. That grounding in the Word is the foundation of us all.
‘When you walk through a storm, keep your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the dark’ sings the star from the musical Carousel when her husband has died, leaving her with child and an uncertain future. Yet like many of you, I was afraid of the dark as a child. I couldn’t go to sleep in my dark room unless the door was open and a light was left on in the hallway. Many of us still use ‘nite-lights’ to help us navigate through the dark. In my father’s home in Villanova, where I grew up, we usually entered the house set on a hill through a basement door where we had to walk down a long dark hallway, then climb a narrow set of stairs before emerging on the first floor of the ranch home. I trained myself not to be afraid of the dark by feeling my way along the wall to find the stairs, then finally being able to ‘walk by faith’ and not by sight, since I knew the way by heart. The darkness I once feared became a comforting presence as I anticipated emerging into the light of my safe home where I would receive a welcome hug from my dad.
This early experiment of dealing with my fears reminds me of our faith journey. We begin in darkness, groping our way along with bumps and bruises, joys and disappointments, as we live in uncertain times, or perhaps doubt our destination or reception. John goes on to tell us “people preferred the darkness, for their deeds were evil.” Too often we get so used to darkness, we forget we can turn on the lights; we forget we don’t have to walk alone through the storms of life. The prologue of the gospel reminds us of the eternal presence of God who is and was and always will be with us, ‘from the beginning. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. What was in him was life, and the life was the light of all people – the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will never overcome it.” No matter what storms of life may overtake us, no matter how comfortable or used to the dark we may become, we have a savior, the Word of God, the Light which is life that the darkness cannot overcome.
It is no surprise that we celebrate the birth of Christ, our Light, in the darkest part of the year. Many find winter to be a depressing and lonely time. Let us remember to walk in the light – to walk and live with Christ – and to share that light with those who need a ray of hope shining in their lives.
See U in CH_RCH.
Pastor Carol