Carriers of the Light
December 24, 2007 - 5:30pm
Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf
Whether or not we plan to leave them up all year long, Christmas, at least in the northern
hemisphere, is a time when we enjoy decorating our homes with all kinds of light. There is a street in
Mokena that is renamed Candy Cane Lane during the month of December. I think that those who buy
a house on that street must have to sign a contract that says, "I will decorate every available inch of
my house and yard with lights from the day after Thanksgiving through December 31st." In fact every
house on Candy Cane Lane is decorated with so many lights that the sky above that street actually
glows.
Perhaps we enjoy filling our world with light during the holidays because it is a time when the
days are shorter and the nights are longer. It is a time of extended darkness and we don't seem to
like the dark, so we use the occasion of the coming of Christ to let our homes shine.
Even so, if we stop and think about it, we will realize that we all need darkness. For instance, I
remember how difficult it was when I was a nurse and first began to work the 11-7 shift and then
came home and tried to sleep during the day. I did everything I could to make my bedroom as dark
as possible so I could sleep!
The beautiful colors on the lovely poinsettias which grace our sanctuary would not exist if the
plants did not spend a calculated amount of time in complete darkness. It is the time spent in
complete darkness which allows the colors to emerge.
And have you noticed how often, when people are searching their minds for the answer to some
difficult question, they close their eyes in order to enter the darkness and eliminate the distractions of
the light? And isn't it true that when we prepare to enter into the communion with God that we call
prayer, we frequently close our eyes?
There is no doubt about it; we need darkness. So why is it, then, that darkness has received such
bad press? Why is it that we seem so afraid of the dark and seek to eradicate it whenever we can?
Perhaps it is because --not being gifted with nocturnal vision-- it is hard to go anywhere in the dark.
In the dark, we cannot see what dangers there may be. In the dark, we cannot tell where it is safe to
walk. In the dark we can't see which way the road goes. In the dark, we do not know who or what
we might meet along the way.
Darkness is important for sleeping and thinking and praying and growing. But when it comes time
to wake and walk and do, then it is that we need the light. We need light which will guide us, light
which will reveal what dangers might be present, light which will show us the way.
One night, when it was time to feed the horses, Suzie's mother decided that she was old enough
to handle the task alone. "But mother," Suzie protested, "It's dark out there. I can't see where I'm
going and I'm afraid of the dark."
Wanting both to understand her daughter's fear and to empower her to grow beyond that fear,
her mother thought for a moment and then took Suzie out onto the porch, lit the lantern that was
hanging there and said, "With this lantern, how far can you see?"
"Well, Suzie responded, "I can see half-way to the gate."
"Good," her mother replied, "Carry this lantern and walk just that far."
"OK,... Mother, I'm there."
"Good, now how far can you see?"
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"Well, I can see all the way to the gate."
"Good, then walk just that far."
"OK,... Mother, I'm there."
"Good, now how far can you see?"
"Well, I can see half way to the barn?"
"Good, then walk just that far."
"OK,... Mother, I'm there."
"Good, now how far can you see?"
"I can see all the way to the barn."
"Good, then walk just that far."
"OK,... Mother, I'm there."
"Good, now how far can you see?"
"I can see the inside of the barn."
"Good, now feed the horses."
Tonight we come to celebrate the birth of the one who said, "I am the light of the world;" the one
who came to be the lantern that illuminates our path; the one whose compassion and grace show us
the way we are called to live; the one who came to show us that God's illuminating light lives in the
depth of each soul; the one whose love empowers us to take each small step along the way toward
becoming carriers of the light of peace, hope, love and joy, which we have been created to be!
Sometimes, when our world is filled with darkness and despair we need other carriers of the light
to stand beside us and walk with us until we can find the light of divine love in our own hearts.
Sometimes when our faith is strong and our hearts are open our light shines in ways that bring
healing and hope to those who walk beside us.
A woman named Samantha tells this story about how her brother helped her in a way that has
allowed her to share her light with others:
When my husband and I moved to San Diego, we had about two cents to rub together.
.... We rented an apartment and found jobs, but our money was tight. Out of the blue,
my brother, Bill, sent us twenty-five dollars, which was a lot of money at the time. We
were living paycheck to paycheck and right before Bill's gift arrived, we were wondering
how we would buy food for the week. I will never forget how relieved and grateful we
were when the money arrived. As a result of that I am inclined to give money
anonymously. I am by no means wealthy, but when I hear about someone struggling
financially, I will send them a hundred dollar bill in one of those cards that says "Hang in
there." I don't sign it and I usually mail it form somewhere outside my zip code. It gives
me great pleasure to do this and the inspiration for it came from my brother, Bill.
As angels carried the light to the shepherds in the deep, dark night, God still sends angels into our
lives carrying the light that will lead us to the heart of God. As the shepherds looked into the face of
love and then returned to their fields carrying that light, may we carry the light of hope and peace and
love and joy not just for a season, but for a lifetime. Amen.
