My Thoughts on 04/12/2020

I spent some of my day off yesterday helping a friend choose a tree and dress it. Lights are an important part of the decoration of any tree. It takes patience, making sure that the lights re evenly spread throughout the branches. There are people who spend time and money lighting up the outside of their entire house. In one parish in which I worked, the competition was to see who had the best display.

In Canterbury, the our Christmas lights herald the arrival of the time for shopping and preparation for this season when, in the darkest time of the year, we await the coming of the light of the world. I like that verse from the book of Wisdom

For while gentle silence enveloped all things,
and night in its swift course was now half gone,
thy all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne,
into the midst of the land that was doomed. Wisdom of Solomon 18:14–15

The Psalm at Mass to today is 26(27)

The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?

The two blind men in the gospel cry out, “Lord have pity on us”. They turn to Jesus asking for the gift to sight. That ask that they may have light. As we enjoy our Christmas lights let us pray

Jesus, my light, help me to recognise the blindness in my life. Fill me with you light, let it drive away from within me all the prevents me from seeing the beauty of you in your creation, may your light drive out the darkness of anger, resentment, jealousy and despair.