In the two short weeks before Christmas, both of my parents died. The long journeys of their living and dying came to a close, leaving us all with a sense of “what now?” We knew the depth of our sorrow by the way it ate into us, in waking and sleeping.
“Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome. Stay with us now for it is evening and the day is almost over. Let your light scatter the darkness and shine within your people here.”
These familiar words from the Holden Evening Prayer never fail to buoy my sagging spirit. They proclaim the light of Christ and show us new life.
Today we observe the Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas Eve. This message was adapted from “Create in Us, O God!” written by Julie K. Aageson that first appeared in the May 2011 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.
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