Certainly we recognize and celebrate the birth of the Christ child. Doesn't all the celebrating spring form this one humble human act? A messy, painful birth; a coming into this world in a most traumatic way. Our tradition tells us it is in the lowliest of places too, a manger.
Surely, even if we can foresee what the Christ child's future will hold we see more than our salvation as a singular act of redemption by him.
Advent brings a time of reflection and preparation. The festival of lights, the light of the world has deep significance for us in this darkest time of the year. Indeed, this time should have us reflecting also on the darkest times of our lives.
One of the blessed messages of Jesus as child and adult is that we should seek the light and turn from darkness. How easy it would be to be overcome by the feelings and sensations of darkness in our lives or the world and embrace that darkness. What Advent asks us to do is to prepare for Christ's birth by looking at the light that exists all around us. There is light shining in every corner and every person if we choose to see it. Even if that seems a daunting task, we are called to walk toward the light, to see the hope of light in our future. We are called to never give up hope because we believe that with God, all things are possible.
Perhaps most importantly, we are called to see the light in ourselves. How and where will we let our own light shine?
