LIGHT JUXTAPOSED WITH DARKNESS

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  (John 1:5)

Katherine E. Willis Perchey, in her book “A Feast Juxtaposed,” writes, “We know full well that the work begun in the manger is not yet complete. Christmas is, for the time being, a feast of light juxtaposed with darkness. We brighten our sanctuary with candles, but the night persists beyond these walls. Though we wipe our tears away to join in the yuletide celebration, we are still a people who mourn.”

Christmas is often painted as a season of pure joy -- bright lights, cheerful songs, and warm gatherings. Yet Katherine Willis Perchey reminds us that the manger was not the end of the story, but the beginning. The Christ-child entered a world still marked by sorrow, injustice, and longing. The candles we light in our sanctuaries are symbols of hope, but they do not erase the night outside our doors.

This tension -- light juxtaposed with darkness -- is the very heart of Advent and Christmas. We celebrate the incarnation, God’s presence among us, while acknowledging that creation still groans. We rejoice, but we also mourn. We sing “Joy to the World,” even as tears linger on our cheeks.

The beauty of the gospel is that God does not demand we hide our grief to enter His joy. Instead, He meets us in the mourning. The manger is a promise that the darkness will not have the final word. The work begun in Bethlehem continues in us, through Christ’s Spirit, until the day when every tear is wiped away and night is no more.

When you light a candle this season, let it remind you that Christ’s light shines not in the absence of darkness, but in the midst of it. Allow space for both joy and sorrow in your celebrations. To mourn while rejoicing is not a contradiction -- it is faithful living in the “already but not yet” of God’s kingdom. Pray for those who feel the weight of grief during Christmas. Your presence and compassion can be a reflection of Christ’s light. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

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