Reflection for Thursday, Dec. 24

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.” (Isaiah 9:1)

People are so interesting, aren’t they? Their habits and quirks are so unique and their situations so complex. Yes, we “people” are an amazing species!

Charles Schulz, the creator of the cartoon “Peanuts”, is famous for the quote: “I love humanity, it’s people who drive me crazy!”

The people we hear about on this Christmas Eve in the passage from Isaiah chapter 9 have always captured my attention. We hear that they walked in darkness and that they dwelt in a land of gloom. Sound familiar? Maybe too close to home?

I remember in the deep, dark days of the pandemic when everyone here was afraid to go out of their homes or even go to the supermarket for bread, WE were in darkness and in the land of gloom.

Isaiah goes on to tell us that these people - maybe Assyrians, but most likely Isaiah is referring to all people, since later in the Gospels we hear that all the world was in darkness until the coming of Christ - had been “trampled in battle and burdened with a yoke that was heavy.”

I am thinking of the many families tonight who will not be able to gather with their loved ones, or, worse yet, who lost a loved one to Covid or to any sickness recently. They have been trampled in battle. For them the darkness is ongoing and the land of gloom may still be their reality. But people can do amazing things, even in the midst of darkness. And tonight we remember that God breaks into our darkness. The prophet says: “on these people, a light has shone.”

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross wrote this about people: “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”

Beautiful people do not just happen.

You and I, friends, are those beautiful people, and Christmas is our time to rejoice. For to us, imagine, to US, a savior has been born! A light has shone! After all we’ve been through or are going through, God’s goodness prevails. On this Christmas night may we cherish the light of Christ brought to us by so many beautiful people, and may we carry that Christ-light for all to see and experience. Merry Christmas to all of you – beautiful people!

Fr. David