The Blizzard at Christmas: (John 1:5, John 8:12) 2

Spiritual Light to Light the Way: Part 2

There are two types of light in the world.  We can perceive one, both or neither!  When we are born into this world, we perceive physical light & by it, we learn of our Creator’s handiwork in the things we see.  However, although that light is good, there is another kind of light, a Light so important that the Son of God, this Holy One proclaimed; “Emmanuel”, had to come in order to both declare & impart it to all people & it is that Light for which the people hoped for, anxiously awaited & celebrated its coming, for it would change & heal the world for all eternity.

In the Bible, walking in the light is a metaphor for living a Holy life modeled by Jesus-Emmanuel (God with us) reflecting hope, love, joy, righteousness & peace.  The Bible makes it clear that spiritual light comes from the Lord God.  Walking in the light means growing in holiness & maturing in our faith as we follow Jesus, who paved the way.  The Gospel light is not to be covered but rather to be celebrated, spread & made obvious for all to see & to benefit from, for it is the fulfillment of God’s promise of new life given that will dispel darkness & radiate God’s unconditional love to the world.

I think we can all agree, this has not been a normal Christmas season this year.  It was the day before Christmas Eve that a huge, unprecedented blizzard rolled into the Buffalo area.  Heavy 70 mph winds & below freezing temperatures infiltrated three counties, taking down trees, destroying houses, causing extensive power outages & massive white outs that caused innumerable accidents & 42 deaths at last count.  Within several hours of the start of the blizzard, a travel ban was issued that lasted 7 days immobilizing all communities in the three counties.  Not surprisingly, the blizzard made it impossible for those of us affected to go forward with the plans we had made to observe & celebrate Christmas this year.  Needless to say, it was not a calm, peaceful night like we read about on that first Christmas night, when the Holy child “Emanual” was born, however it was still Christmas.

The Christmas season has now come & gone.  Due to the earthly immobilization caused by the blizzard, many people are now saying they do not feel like they really experienced Christmas at all this year.  However, though our Christmas observances & celebrations were disrupted this year by the massive whiteouts caused by the blizzard, the fact remains that nothing could ever stop Christmas.  The light of life that the Christ child brings, will never be extinguished by a whiteout or by anything else, for as the Bible says, the Holy light shines in the darkness & the darkness can never overcome it.

Though there are many blizzards swirling around us at this time that immobilize us, some caused by weather conditions, others by unsettledness of violence, illness, accidents, losses, poverty, etc., the fact remains that nothing can ever overcome or extinguish the Holy Light of the Christ child.  God present with us in the flesh, is a gift given to & for us by God, that brings with it a peace that surpasses all understanding.

As we move through these days of Christmas -Tide & beyond, on our walk with the Lord, I invite you all to embrace the opportunity to turn the blizzards of life into a positive reflective experience, as you reawaken yourself to the true gift of the Holy child - the bearer of Holy light to the world, given this & every Christmas, regardless of how it is observed & celebrated.   AMEN

~Posted by Rev Kathryn Bindig, MDiv. MS; Pastoral Care Minister with assistance from Rich Muscatello; Director of Business Development & Strategy