Solstice

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.” Isaiah 9:2

At 4:02 a.m. this morning, the North Pole reached its maximum tilt away from the sun. We have come to the winter solstice. Today is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. One wonders how Santa Claus finishes his last minute work without any daylight! The days have been getting shorter, darker, for six months. That trend is reversed today. Light is coming.

We have been living in dark days this year. The pandemic rages on. It may well be a long winter in many ways. On normal Christmas celebrations are put on hold until next year. And so much else is wrong with our world, from racial injustice to rampant wealth inequality. But in the darkness, light is coming.

The words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled at Christmas. The people had walked in deep darkness for so long. Oppression and tyranny, sin and death, stalked the world. And then, in the middle of the night, Jesus is born. Light is coming.

On this shortest day, look to Jesus, the light coming into the world.

Be well, friends. You are loved.

God of light, shine upon us. Let the light of your Christ blaze forth upon this world. Restore our spirits with your peace. Help us to support one another during these days. Bless this week of Christmas. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Image: Adoration of the Shepherds, Matthias Stom, circa 1650 (public domain).