John 8:12
“Jesus said: ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness,
but will have the Light of life.’”
In 1934, Arthur Shurcliff, a landscape architect, lit single electric candles in the windows of four buildings in his city that were open to the public, an event that at the time was known as the “White Lighting.” Visitors were so taken with the look of the candles they requested that they be available to buy them for their own homes. Eventually, the event expanded to include a fireworks display, wreath-making, Christmas concerts, a Yule Log, and holiday feasts. Today, the historic city of Williamsburg, Virginia, launches the Christmas season with what has become known as “The Grand Illumination.“
Every year on December 1, my husband and I kick off the Christmas season with our own, “Grand Illumination” by placing candles in our windows and lighting the outside of the house. As we get older it has become a bit harder, but it is still our hope that the decorations help to bring light to the darkness in our neighborhood during the next thirty-seven days until Epiphany. People from all walks of life, all over the world, string lights and decorate trees to brighten the nights and perhaps bring a bit of hope during the Winter darkness. The first week of Advent begins this coming Sunday, and the theme is HOPE. If ever we have need of a symbol of hope, this is a time! But, in reality, the strings of lights are just a temporary, man-controlled symbol, and we have the power to turn them on and off at will.
In ancient Bethlehem, nighttime brought pitch darkness, with the only light coming from clay oil lamps which offered little reflection of light. On the night Jesus was born, the shepherds set out to find the One the angels told them about, guided by a light so bright it offered secure footing as they walked, climbed the hills, and crossed the streams until they entered the city of Bethlehem. The shepherds knew when they had reached their destination, for in the dark streets shone a light that was no ordinary light—it came from God Himself. The everlasting Light—God’s Grand Illumination—shone down on Jesus, the One who could offer Hope and cast out the darkness in the world.
Looking at the world around us that seems so very dark, there are days when we might be given to fear and a loss of hope. Do not fear, dear readers! God illuminates our way to Him, to His love. In our verse today, God promises that “he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” The Way has already been illuminated for us, we only need to seek Him and we shall find Him. All of the years we have had doubts, questions, worries, hopes and fears, all were met in Jesus that night in Bethlehem. Alleluia!
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for making a way to Your love, to be released from fear, and to have Hope in this dark world—the Hope that is offered in the Christ child. May the lights that we see and enjoy this Christmas, remind us of Your perfect Light—Your Grand Illumination—that never dims, never goes out. In the name of the Christ of Bethlehem, we pray. Amen.
