by Joyce Rupp
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.---Luke 1:78-79
On this day before the feast of Christmas, we hear Zechariah’s familiar canticle telling us that the dawn from on high will break upon us. Zechariah knew about darkness. He sat through nine months of it, unable to speak. He also knew about light, experiencing the power of Divine revelation when he prophesied through his canticle.
As we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we are being invited to look within our own selves and within our world. Always we find some darkness there, mixed in with the light. It is to these dark corners that the Savior comes, bringing light by the tender mercy of God.
To the darkness of our hurrying, our self-centeredness, our weakness, our frustration, our half-lived lives, the Savior comes. To the darkness of our world of war and torture, alienation and deceit, greed and corruption, our Savior comes. The Light yearns to dawn upon us; we have only to open our hearts to receive this gift of loving presence.
Emmanuel, may your light
be perceived by all who sit in darkness.
Be a beacon of hope for all whose lives are troubled this Christmas.
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