Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. Isaiah 60:1
Throughout Advent, we prayed for Jesus, the Light, to come. We lit the candles of our Advent wreaths slowly, one by one, until all four were lit. Then, on one of the darkest days of the year, the Light was born into the world, and His name is Emmanuel: God with us. We prayed for the Light, with its warmth and clarity and truth, and He came to us. He is Christ, our Light.
In the short, dark days of winter, we hope and pray for the light to continue to come to us. Each day now, the sun will give us a little more warmth and light. We pray for the dark days of coldness, uncertainty, and fear to give way to the brightest of summer days. This is Isaiah was telling his people, Jerusalem. He was proclaiming the light that Israel was to be for other nations and prophesying the coming of the true Light, Christ.
Yes, Christ has truly come to us, and all the lights are burning bright through the cold winter nights. St. John professed that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). We believe that Christ, our Light, will shine through the darkness of evil and destroy it completely. If there is any darkness in your heart right now—grief, sadness, anxiety, anger, uncertainty, fear, confusion—whatever it is, hold up the Christlight to that darkness. With great confidence, show Christ that darkness and He will overcome it. Maybe not in an instant, but with His gentle warmth and love, it will be overcome.
In a prayer after Communion during Advent, we ask God to light our Christlight: “We ask you, O Lord, to grant our desire: that, aflame with your Spirit, we may shine like bright torches before your Christ when he comes.” When you hold up your Christlight for yourself, you also hold it up for others: “Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance” (Isaiah 60: 3). This spoke of the star that shone to lead the three wise kings to Christ in the manger, which we celebrate this Epiphany day. It also speaks to the light in our own hearts. For with every flicker of your Christlight, you illumine the world. Light shines brightest in the most profound darkness. Hold up your Christlight proudly, and without fear. For behold, Christ, our Light has come.
Christ, be my light. Give me the courage to bring you the darkness in my heart and lift my own Christlight for others.