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The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

Readings of the Day 
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My son went to college in Denver. While college was a great experience
for him, it brought stellar experiences for me. Home has always been
in the Midwest, but I love Colorado, adore the mountains, and long to
soak in the crisp air that always accompanies a new snowfall. I was in
Colorado more during those four years than at any time before he
enrolled or after he graduated.

Driving across Kansas to Colorado put me in touch with how impatient I
can be. I completely appreciate the beauty of farmland and rolling
fields of sunflowers, but not when driving toward the promise of
snowcapped mountains. I'd cross the state line into Colorado and
sigh in frustration when the landscape still looked the same as
western Kansas. I remember being SO READY for the drive to be over and
arrive at my desired destination.

We are standing at the end of a tough, tough year. I'm quite
impatient for 2020 to end, for COVID to be managed, for economic
recovery to occur, for life to feel *normal* again. But I know that as
I step over that time threshold from 2020 to 2021, there's no
magic that will happen at the stroke of midnight. In fact, the world
may look pretty much the same when I rise on January 1st as it did
when I retired to bed on December 31st. It's hard not to
impatiently wonder out loud, "how long, O
Lord......." We join a lengthy line of God's
people who prayed those words: Miriam and Moses fleeing toward the Red
Sea; Joshua and the Israelites hiding and waiting to cross into the
promised land; Isaiah as he lived and taught among "the people
walking in darkness;" the two disciples on the road to
Emmaus... We, the people of God, have a long history of walking
through turmoil, and then walking just a bit further.

This is why the words of John in today's scripture take hold in
my heart: "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has
not overcome it." We keep moving forward through trying times
with the firm knowledge that the light we see isn't just
"at the end of the tunnel," but beside and around us as a
comfort and a beacon. John's words remind us that in all times,
in all ages, in all events, God provides the light we need. A little
light on the path makes the journey easier and gives us confidence in
our next steps. A light up ahead calls us to keep moving even when
darkness appears to crowd in.

At some point, we'll stand in the full brilliance of the light
of Christ. But till that day, the firm knowledge that darkness cannot
overcome light is enough to keep us going. I'm SO READY for the
problems of 2020 to be behind us.  Here's to the moments of
light we will find in 2021.

Susan Walker is Executive Director, Outreach & Engagement, at
Catholic Charities of Kansas City - St. Joseph.

 




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