The Saugeen Times

Gatherings are a way to celebrate

Reverend Keith Reynolds

New Perspectives

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Today is the shortest day of the year. Depending on your perspective, today is also the longest night of year.

I was reminded of that early this morning when I woke up and saw the moon shining through our window. Tonight is the full moon.

Christmas marks this time of year as a day of celebration. As a Christian, someone who follows in the ways of Jesus, this time of year honours the birthday of Jesus for me. It isn’t exactly the historical day he was born but a long time ago Christians wanted to offer a counterpoint to some other rituals marking this season. It was an attempt to claim and proclaim faith in a public way.

In the 21^st century in this area, some will mark December 25^th as Jesus’ birthday. It is also true that some will not.

What does remain true for this time of year is the need to express something within us. Lights and decorations give beauty and promise to our yearning. Songs fill us with wonder. Gatherings bring us together with coworkers, family and friends to celebrate. Giving to others moves us beyond ourselves and into participation with something larger and more sustaining.

Perhaps it is the darkness that compels us to do these things. Spending time in the dark can help us see more clearly sometimes. It offers us a different kind of attention. Senses are woken up. Memories are stirred. An impulse to respond grows within us. The darkness doesn’t need to be a fearful place. It can sustain us with a hidden gift, buried beneath the snow.

However we find ourselves marking this season, the darkness may offer us the most honest gift of all. A chance to recognize our humanity, our need for each other and the holy hiddenness of the moment.