On this holy night, Pastor Bob invites us to remember that even in our darkest moments, the light of Christ continues to shine within and among us. Through the familiar story of the nativity, we are reminded of love made real — a light that calls us toward hope, peace, and joy.
Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.
Luke 2:8–20
It happened long ago. A little baby was born. It was not some big event—it was like so many other births throughout the ages: a mother, a father, a midwife, a newborn baby. And after the birth there was quiet. Yes, maybe the baby cries a bit; maybe Mom and Dad cry a bit too. But the feeling that is left is one of peace.
Can you feel that peace? I hope you are ready for Christmas—because you know what? There are zero shopping days left. That’s it. It’s here. This is what we get, right now. It’s Christmas. Getting ready for Christmas is wonderful. We love that—we love the traditions, the festivities. Christmas decorations and lights help us get through this dark part of the year, and we look forward to our family celebrations. I see so many families that are here together already. We drink eggnog, watch our favorite Christmas shows. Christmas can be so beautiful—especially if we get snow; that’s so good.
Christmas can also be a challenge. Many people become stressed and overwhelmed by Christmas.
A number of years ago I had made some business-sized cards—little business cards about twenty years ago—with a picture of a little angel and the word “peace” on it. I handed them out to people who looked like they needed it at Christmas time. Well, one day I was in the store and the woman at the register looked like she had been through the ringer—she was miserable. So when I got up to her I handed her my card, and she looked at it and she went, “I don’t need that,” and she handed it back to me. Some people cannot find peace even during this season—even with the eggnog and the parties and sending cards and all the other Christmas stuff. Some people are more stressful than peaceful.
But let’s go back for a moment—let’s go back to the stable. I don’t know about you, but when I was a child the crèche was my favorite decoration for Christmas. You could move the characters around—they could do things—and there was a sense of beauty, this peaceful quiet scene. I just loved deep peace, like the feeling of peace that can come with this holiday. We love that feeling of well-being, a warm and cozy feeling.
The Danish and Norwegian have a term for this—hygge—I’ve talked about this before. It can mean “cozy” or “comfortable,” but there really is no English translation for the word hygge; it’s really like a lifestyle. Here are some things that they say you could do to practice hygge: turn down the lights and use candles (give us a few minutes, we’ll be there). Turn off technology and focus on the moment (I’m hoping you’re doing that). Hang out with family and friends (here we are). Make yourself cozy. Incorporate natural elements—bring the outdoors inside. We’re doing all of those this evening—that’s hygge.
And it’s the feeling like at the end of It’s a Wonderful Life when they’re all in the Bailey living room and they’re all just so happy. It’s like the feeling at the end of Prancer, as Prancer goes to join Santa again. It’s like the feeling when Rudolph saves Christmas. It is the feeling at the end of every single Hallmark Christmas movie. It’s the feeling of sitting with loved ones around a glittering tree. It’s like a cup of cocoa on a cold day.
That is the feeling that we hope to find on Christmas Day.
And here are some things you could try: create a cozy atmosphere, be in the moment, treat yourself, put others before yourself, be thankful, avoid competition, avoid drama (I know that one can be hard in some environments—but we try). All of these things can bring us to a kind of peace—a place of peace. When we think of the crèche—the newborn baby put in a bed in a manger—do you have a sense of calm, a feeling of peace and quiet? I hope you find that tonight; I hope you find that tomorrow.
But for many people that’s Christmas—tonight and tomorrow—that’s Christmas. The day after Christmas is the day to take Christmas down, put it all away until next year, and go back to the “real world.” Lots of people who felt deep peace on Christmas may not feel any peace at all the next day. That makes me kind of sad.
And I’ve wondered what it would be like if we carried our feeling of Christmas into the next day—and the next. There are twelve days of Christmas, and they start tomorrow. Can you hold this feeling for twelve days?
We’ll conclude our service this evening with the lighting of candles. We light them to enjoy the beauty in the space, and then we blow them out and we go home. What if we left our candles lit? Have you ever tried keeping a candle lit outdoors on a windy day? Forget it.
Our challenge is to keep our Christmas candle lit—metaphorically lit—as the new year opens. There will be days when the winds come; the winds get fierce. How do we keep our candle lit in a metaphorical wind?
The light we share this evening is the very light of love. It is our joy made visible. I’m always struck by the beauty of that moment when all the lights go off and we’re in the light with just the candles, and it is stunning. But it’s more than just beautiful—it’s also a symbol, a reminder of how God’s love fills the world through us.
When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth she was in a precarious position in her society. She could have faced serious consequences for being an unmarried, pregnant woman. Yet even as she was trying to understand what to do, she sang her song. Mary’s Song is a call for light. When the hungry are filled with good things—it brings light. When the lowly are lifted up—there is light. When the tyrants are brought down and the proud are scattered—there is light.
As we gather for our celebrations, let that light shine. As we open our presents and sit around the big table, let that light shine. Can you feel the peace then?
What do we do—pack it all up for next year, including the light? Do we let the candle go out? I know the winds of the world will be back after the holidays. How will we protect the light of love? How do we keep it burning? We need God. We need each other. We need our faith communities. We need our families and friends. We need to be intentional. That’s easier during this season—but it’s possible all through the year.
Can you feel that peace? Light is beautiful. The Light of Christ is among us. This light is shared. This light is a part of us. May we keep this light alive in our hearts this season and all year long. May the Light of Christ fill you now and always.
