The days of Advent are over. For 4 weeks, we waited in joyful anticipation for the celebration of Our Lord’s birth. Now, we gather at Midnight to join the angels in proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” We join together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, who frees us from the darkness of sin and brings us the joy promised by God the Father.
While it’s very much dark outside, we come together in this beautifully lit and decorated church with all the Christmas lights and candles to remember not the darkness of sin, but the light of Christ shining throughout the world. This is the light of the Lord’s glory that came upon the shepherds sitting in the dark of night with their sheep. This is the light promised by the prophet Isaiah to “the people who walked in darkness”. This is the light that we recall at the Easter Vigil, and is symbolized by the Easter candle shining in the darkened church.
This light did not come into the world with a grand show, but rather under humble, simple means. This King of Kings and Lord of Lords came into the world as a child born to humble parents, not great rulers. His coming was announced to shepherds in a field, not to noblemen and women in mighty palaces. For the great majority of people alive at the time of Our Lord’s birth, it went completely unnoticed.
Yet, His coming was truly a glorious event worthy of great rejoicing. As St. Paul reminds us, we celebrate tonight “as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own.” We remember the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ because He came into the world to free us from the darkness of sin. Just as lighting a single candle can break the darkness of night, the coming of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, breaks the darkness of sin in our lives. When we look at the beautiful Christmas lights that we use to decorate as we celebrate this special and blessed season, we should always remember that Jesus, the Light of the World, shines through the darkness of sin in our lives the way those lights shine through the darkness of night.
Tonight, the Advent season is over, and we begin the celebration of the Christmas season. Note that we are just now beginning the Christmas season, not ending it. May we spend this season joyfully praising Jesus Christ, the Light of the World who came into the world to save us.
