A Christmas Countdown – Day 11

Behind Day 11 of my Advent Calendar are:

THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS OF OXFORD STREET

At home, strategically positioned in front of our recently condemned gas fire, stands a candle – one that proves the lie that you can’t go wrong by buying your nearest and dearest such a gift as a Valentine’s present. Because nearly ten months on it has remained untouched and it is only in the last week, with the nights well and truly now drawing in, that have we finally bothered to light it.

But when we did, the darkness in our living room immediately shrank back from around it’s flickering flame and I was reminded once more of how differently light and darkness behave.

Because whilst darkness is dispelled by the switching on of a light, the opposite is not true – light isn’t dispelled by the switching on of the dark. The darkness may surround the light, but the light is never snuffed out.

Light then always triumphs over darkness. Which is nothing short of what we should expect for this is exactly what we are told in the opening verses of John’s gospel, verses that traditionally make up the final reading in a service of nine lessons and carols.

‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ [John 1:5]

This is comforting to know. And what is also comforting to know is that something very similar could be said for love and hate. No matter how intense the hatred, love always triumphs over it. Though it is true that hatred may not simply flee from love in the way that darkness flees from light, and though hate may actually intensify its efforts in the face of love’s persistence, it is none the less true that, come what may, love will always win.

Because love never dies.

Except perhaps that one time – when the light went out.

Jesus said that he was the light of the world, [John 8:12] and at Christmas that light, ‘the true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world’ [John 1:9]

But despite ‘Jesus [coming] to his own…his own people did not receive him. [John 1:11]

And so, on Good Friday, mankind rejected the one who had come to save them. But Jesus continued to love those who hated him – even as they hammered the nails into his hands and feet. ‘Father, forgive them,’ he prayed ‘for they know not what they do.’ [Luke 23:34]

When Jesus died the light went out – and ‘there was darkness over all the land’. [Matthew 27:45]

But not for long. Because love didn’t stay dead. Three days later, the light came back on when Jesus rose from the grave.

And so, no matter how dark it might currently be for some, we can all be sure that there will be brighter days ahead. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning’ [Psalm 30:5]

Because the light will never go out again.

*****

Only one possible option for today’s song – Coldplay and ‘Christmas Lights’

‘Those Christmas lights
Light up the street
Down where the sea and city meet
May all your troubles soon be gone
Oh, Christmas lights keep shining on’

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Previously from ‘A Christmas Countdown’:

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Part 10’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Part 9’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Part 8’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Part 7’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 6’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 5’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 4’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 3’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 2’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 1’, click here

To read ‘An Advent Calendar – Complete’, click here