Hope: Our Light in the Darkness

Dec 20

It gets dark very early. Six months ago, on June 21st, when summer was just gearing up, the sun set at 8:29 PM. On Saturday, Dec. 21st, the sun will set at 4:38 PM. Today, Dec. 22nd, we gained two seconds of daylight. It is a very small increase and most likely will hardly be noticed but we have begun the journey back from darkness to light.

Since Jesus is the Light of the World, one might think we should celebrate the birth of Jesus in June when we have the most day light, but Christmas celebrates the light in our darkness. During a storm, when the power goes out, there is always relief, if not full rejoicing, when it is turned back on. When we are in the dark, it is easy to get lost. When everything seems to be falling apart around us, it is easy to fall into despair. Yet, a sliver of light can enkindle hope in our heart. Christmas is when the world rejoices because that sliver of light has broken through everything, and we have hope once again.

The prologue to the Gospel of John is read at Mass on Christmas Day: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Jn 1:1-5

The day before, December 24, 2024, Pope Francis will open the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica to begin the Jubilee Year 2025, Pilgrims of Hope. He is keenly aware of how the Covid pandemic changed the world. He is constantly praying for, pleading for, an end to the wars and violence in Ukraine, the Middle East, and throughout the world. He reminds the world of the plight of the poor, the immigrant, and refugees. From his vantage point he can see that the world is very dark for millions and millions of people. It is for this reason that Pope Francis, calling all of us back to Christ, reminds the world of the true Light in our darkness and the only source of a hope that will endure.

When he announced the Jubilee 2025, he wrote, “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart, and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire; that is why I have chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope.”

As we begin the Jubilee Year 2025, Pilgrims of Hope, you are invited to take a copy of Bishop Barron’s book, An Introduction to Prayer. We all pray but we can always learn more about prayer. It is through prayer that we remind ourselves that we are connected to God and God is with us.

May our prayer lead us to be beacons of light in the darkness and offer to the world the hope that comes to us through Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!

NB: Please note the books will be available on Christmas Eve.