The Light has Come

I'm coming to the end of Christmas Eve. It's been busy, of course, but I have tried to maintain times of stillness to stay centred on the presence of Christ in our midst.  The gift of Hope. I even managed a bit of a sleep after lunch: necessary as I have both a midnight communion and an 8am tomorrow morning.

All our Christmas services seem to have gone really well. The Christingle here in Broughton this evening was a full house again - 175 crammed into our small church building! We put the whole service up on the screen, so much easier than having books and paper with lighted candles.

I think the highlight of the day, though, was a single home communion I took earlier this evening. The lady concerned has been ill for as long as I have known her - over a year - and she has been having a terrible time of late. She has just returned from another spell in hospital.  We shared communion together and then, knowing that she has been a committed Christian for many years, and worshipped in church at many Christmases, I asked if she would like me to read John 1 - the Christmas Gospel which usually comes as the climax to a carol service. Up to that point, she had not been very responsive, though she had tried to join in with the prayers. Now, her face lit up with a beautiful smile of recognition and she said, 'Yes, I would.'  As I read those familiar words In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...she gazed intently at me as if taking it all in. When I had finished, I gently reminded her that to those who receive Jesus, he gives the right to be called God's children. I hope this was some comfort to her in her continuing pain and distress.

Today, as Christmas dawns, we remember it is not just that the Light has come, but that we may receive that light. We welcome Jesus into our very lives.  Let our hearts glow with that light, that was in him....Your heart and mine can become the little town, the stable, the manger...(McLaren p99)