25 December. Read, reflect, share, pray.  Christmas Day. Love, peace, joy. Grandad Joseph continued the Children’s Peace Pilgrimage story, “While the adults and family members looked on, the children did praise God, sing and dance through the night, as the well-known story was acted out.  They were the angels, messengers from God, who had come with a message of goodwill and peace on earth.  They were shepherds, work-men and women and soldiers, workers who had put down their weapons and tools to join in a moment of hope and joyful celebration.   Children from the East, from Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist families shared their gift, a dream of peace and unity.  The gift the Peace Pilgrims of the world brought was the gift of their simplicity, their need for love, harmony, for peace and joy in their homes and in the world, their common home. 

Scripture & Pope Francis: “A little child will lead them.” All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, sing out your praise. From Dilexit Nos 218:  Christ’s love can give a heart to our world and revive love wherever we think that the ability to love has been lost forever.

CHRISTMAS MAGIC  – CHRIST, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD  from 1999  Christmas booklet.

The archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael shepherded their little choir of cherubs to the big picture window where they could look down from heaven to the earth below.  On this night each year they loved looking down at the sea of lights, millions and millions of pinpricks of light, changing, moving, shining and sometimes going out. “If only they could see what we can see,” Cheryl wished silently. “But they can, when they learn God’s ways.” Cheroy murmured under his breath.

On earth below a little group had gathered around the table. All their eyes were glued to the birthday cake and the one little candle that lit up their faces.  They had called the baby Grace, because they had waited so long for her and it was God’s love and theirs that had created this miracle who almost shared a birthday with Jesus himself.  And the eyes of all three, together with Rover the dog and Misty the kitten shone with love, lighting up the room.

This was Christmas eve and when she thought about her own parents far away almost in another world, the young mother’s eyes glistened with tears and the light in the room became dimmer.  Across the world Grandad and Grandma sat at their table together.  They prayed for their family on the baby’s first birthday. The light of love touched their old eyes with a soft, warm glow that became brighter when they looked at each other and shared some of the memories of 40 Christmasses they had spent together.  A sparkle darted from both their eyes when they talked of the year that five or their six children had come together to celebrate Melissa’s s wedding.  Then it seemed as if curtains were drawn over the faces as they remembered the sad time when little James had been so ill and died before New Year. 

Melissa and Peter were happily married and they now had three little ones.  That evening they had put up and decorated the Christmas tree and the dancing lights in the sleepy eyes showed how excited they all were.  The candles were not lit yet and the crib was still empty waiting for midnight when the new baby would arrive. 

Alone in a small room uncle Jonathan sat next to the little lamp that made just a tiny pool of light.  His eyes were dull as he thought back over the years and the bright city lights he had seen.  He could almost see before him the flashing lights of aeroplanes, helicopters and guns.   Through the semi-darkness a spark of pride lit up his face when he thought of the time he had rescued his wounded friend but quickly the light faded and went out again.

All over the world lights were flickering, bouncing, glinting, throwing out great beams and little pools.  Somewhere in the world a father’s eyes glowed with pride when he thought about his son.

Somewhere in the world a son’s eyes softened as he looked with love on his old father who almost couldn’t remember him because his mind had wandered back into the distant past.

Somewhere a little girl put on her new Christmas makeup that made her whole face sparkle like a little angel.

Somewhere in the world a mother sat alone in the dark, waiting for just anyone to come and switch on the light because she didn’t have the strength to get up.

Somewhere there were lonely people with eyes that were cloudy and dull.

Somewhere there were contented people filling homes with the light of peace.

All over the world fingers of light reached out from one to another across time and space.

In heaven above, while archangels and the little cherubs watched, guardian angels were busy tracing lines, making connections, routing and rerouting links.

At midnight it seemed for a moment as if all the lights combined into one great star as Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Love, the Prince of Peace and the Light of the World was born again.  And the angel choirs joined all of creation in giving praise and thanks to the God of Love.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:   Jesus is often called “The Light of the World.” We also use words such as “eyes of faith” and “inner light” sometimes without thinking deeply about them.  Try to become conscious of the miracle of light in a literal as well a more spiritual sense and give praise and thanks to God for this gift.