“Kindle Thy light within me, O God, that Thy glow may be spread over all of my life; yea indeed, that Thy glow may be spread over all my life. More and more, may Thy light give radiance to my flickering candle, fresh vigor to my struggling intent, and renewal to my flagging spirit. Without Thy light within me, I must spend my years fumbling in my darkness. Kindle Thy light within me, O God!”
Howard Thurman, “Meditation of The Heart”
Though the daylight grows shorter the Light of Christmas draws closer. Light is my Advent theme this year. Last week I was reminded that to claim the light of Christmas is an invitation to allow God’s light to be kindled within—to seek ways to be converted to Light even in, or despite, darkness.
Advent people are people of hope—a people who seek even the dimmest flickering flame trusting, knowing, that Christmas brings the light of hope to full radiance in Christ—”In his light we see light.”
His light illuminates the way of hope in the wilderness.
In these last days of Advent, as we “prepare the way” for the Light of Christmas, where do you see light? Where do you see hope? How might the flickering flame of hope in you come to full radiance kindled by the birth of Christ? How might the light of Christ in you be joined with others to create a community of hope that casts out darkness for yourself, for others, and for the world?
