Light in the Midst of Darkness

What is one human being?

A baby is born into the world in the dead of night. The stabled animals nearby barely notice, and the travelers sleeping overhead have absolutely no knowledge of his existence. Yet here he is. His mother wipes her blood from his face and wraps him snugly in a cloth, holding him close to the warmth of her body. He wriggles weakly and opens his eyes, but the world is a blur. Tender lips press upon his forehead and he makes a little coo…

Above the dark and silent fields of Bethlehem, a brilliant light suddenly splits the night, shaking the shepherds from their drowsiness. They can hardly believe what they are seeing, what they are hearing. Sparked by the message, they spread out in search until they find the lowly place, where a man fills a manger with hay and a woman places within it a newborn baby — the child, the Source…how do they know? Does the baby glow? No. It’s because of the angels that they know.

It’s because of the star rising in the east. Because of the water changed into wine; the restoration of sight to the blind; the quieted storm; the empty tomb; the rising mist; and the upper room where the Fire is split into tiny little flames, one for each person who is sent forth into the darkened world to bear the light, the light of hope that is shared by the touch of love…Father to Son, brother to sister, neighbor to neighbor, stranger to stranger, millennium to millennium, parent to child, me to you, and you to…

A baby is born in the dead of night. What is one human being? A candle of Everlasting Light.

Merry Christmas!

© 2021 Christina Chase

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Feature Photo by Sonika Agarwal on Unsplash