Radiance!

I didn't plan to put up lights this Christmas, because I knew that I'd be gone for the whole week of Christmas, and then I'd just have to come back and take down all the lights.  But that was before I'd read about the events surrounding the birth of Jesus in The Life of the Blessed Virgin by Catherine Emmerich.  Catherine was granted visions of the lives of Mary and Joseph -- what the church calls "private revelations," and not necessarily true.  That is why I did not read the book all these years, even though someone had recommended it to me about 35 years ago.  I just was not interested at the time.

But now, reading about how Joseph hung a lantern in the cave and worked hard to make it warm and comfortable for Mary in her hour of need,

• reading about how the pagan astrologers, some of whom still offered child sacrifice, saw a great light in the sky, a light that had been foretold by their ancestors for many generations, a light that they had built towers to observe in its coming;
• reading about how even Caesar Augustus saw lights in the sky at the birth of Jesus and knew something portenteous was occurring;
• reading about how God announced to the shepherds that a child was born, through angelic choirs and great lights in the sky --

I was inspired to hang lights both inside and outside my house to celebrate the radiance that has come into a dark world.  I wanted my house to reflect the radiance that God has sent into the darkness-- from the first day of creation until now.  He did not eliminate the darkness, but kept the night, sending even into it lights to guide mankind--the moon and the stars.

But the Light of the World that gives light to every man has now come into the world.  And still, the world remains dark; the night has not disappeared entirely.  Many still walk in darkness, not seeing the Light of God shining in the Face of His Christ, Jesus. 

But to all who do receive Him, He brings the Light of Truth, of Beauty, of Goodness and the Mercy of God: This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all...if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from every sin (I Jn. 5 & 7).

Even if I weren't going to be home this Christmas, I just had to celebrate the Radiance that Christ has been in my life --- and so the lights went up!