"Watches of the Night"
"A New Season"
Each year on December
21st in the United States and the rest of the
northern hemisphere the winter solstice occurs. It is the shortest day of the
year with the least amount of daylight and the greatest amount of darkness. In
the U.S., there are only about 9 ½ hours of daylight on this day. It is the
first day of winter. In the Church on this same day each year, December 21st,, late in
the liturgical season of Advent, the mass readings are always from either the
Song of Songs (Songs. 2:8-14) or the Prophet Zephaniah (Zeph. 3:14-18), and the
gospel is from St. Luke (Luke. 1:39-45). Yet, these readings speak of a new
season of fragrance, beauty, sound and fruitfulness: The fragrant freshness
of a new springtime.
In the passage
from the Song of Songs, the lover proclaims to his beloved, "For see, the
winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the
earth…"(Songs 2:11-12). On the very day when winter begins in nature, the
word of God announces that winter is past. The Church speaks these words
intentionally. On the day of the winter solstice, the word of God announces a
"season of saving grace", a season
of new creation. This is a perpetual
season of the springtime of God's Presence among us. For, "Jesus Christ is
the same, yesterday, today and forever"(Heb. 13:8 ). This is the "season of the
soul" that intercessors must strive to live in at all times. It is an inner
springtime of resurrection, hope, vitality, and victory. It is as if on this
day each year, through the readings at mass, the Church proclaims with bold
truth, " The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome
it"(John.1:5). How important it is to believe the truth contained in even
this one verse of scripture. The "Luminous" Lamb has conquered the power of
darkness.
One may recall that the first words spoken by
God in the bible are found in Genesis 1:3 : "Let there be light". In 2 Cor. 4:6
St. Paul takes up these first words spoken by God to speak of the Crucified, Resurrected
Jesus who dwells within us: "For God who said, "Let light shine out of
darkness," has shone in our hearts…" How imperative it is to have the grace of
faith to believe these words especially at the present time in which we live
that shows clear signs of an ever growing moral darkness. Lord, strengthen our
faith. Jesus tells the crowd in John's Gospel, " Walk while you have the
light, so that darkness may not overcome you…While you have the light,
believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light"(John.
12:35,36).
Am I standing on the solid and certain truth
of God's word every day? Do I believe that Jesus Christ, The Light of the
world, has conquered the darkness? Am I standing in victory right now or
limping in defeat? Am I allowing fear, negativity, doubt and unbelief to have
access to my life when they have no right to? Am I being too influenced by the
national and world news to the point that my attitude is becoming more
negative, critical, sarcastic or cynical? Is it impacting my faith? If so, it
may be time for a "Fox detox": A time to step away from the news of the
world for a few days. Is the Spirit calling me to be immersed in more prayer
and immersed in God's word in stillness and quiet?
Questions:
1)
Where
is my faith weak right now?
2) Am I allowing
the "winter chill" of national and world news to erode my faith in Jesus
Christ?
Scriptures:
Any scripture from the text; 1 John. 5:4-5;
Is. 7:9b; John. 6:63; 1 Thes. 1:5;
Eph. 3:12; Heb. 10: 35-36
