Light has always been a character in the Advent story. The shepherds saw a great light when they were told the Good News. The wise men were guided toward Bethlehem by a light in the sky. Each year we hold hope for the coming of the light, anticipating its arrival with hope and joy. And no greater time is this exemplified for me than when we pass the light each Christmas Eve night.
We have been blessed by a Sanctuary so full of light. It passes through the stained glass, telling the story of the Bible, and then dances on the walls all around us. But each day, the light changes ever so slightly, going from bright and long, to dim and short. Come Christmas Eve, we enter the Sanctuary when it is bright, but after only an hour, the light is gone. The stained glass barely visible, left black by the night. From this comes the time of the season that amazes me like no other.
For those who haven’t experienced singing in the Christmas Eve choir, from the loft the changing light is noticeable. We see the light fade in the windows and can see the chandeliers slowly dim with the sunlight. But from this dimness comes the candle light. It starts with one, then grows to four, and then, like a sunrise, the light swells throughout the Church. From the choir loft, we see the light slowly grow brighter within the pews. With purpose, the light is passed, from one to another. The glow of the candles brightens up the Sanctuary like daylight.
In the gospel of John, he is compelled by this same image. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
In the loft, I can see the darkness that enveloped the Sanctuary be pushed back to the edges. The candles flicker against the walls and windows, now shining the story of the Bible out to the world. Then, after we, the choir, leave the loft and head out into the darkness of the night, we get to turn around and witness the second amazing feat of the evening. The light held in the Sanctuary now streams out the doors and down the steps. The contrast, seeing the light, each representing a member of the church framed against the darkness, is amazing. It pushes against the night, reminding the world of the new light of God, Jesus, and the Spirit.
This season, I hope you remember the awe of the light—how it waxes and wanes and how it swells in us each Christmas Eve, to celebrate Advent and the fulfillment of God’s promise for us and the call that we, too, bring the light into the world.
