"Suddenly...Light" - David

"Two emails came to my desk," said Peter Holmes. "The first one complained that the TV program filmed in our church just before Christmas was interrupted too much by advertisements when it was broadcast for several days across Canada. 'It's great to have the choir and special guests, but the commercialism cuts into the meaning of Christmas.' That's what the first email conveyed."

The mood outside was typical for Toronto at this time of the year. Overcast, a bit gloomy, threatening snow, but not able to give the city a good wallop before the Big Day.

"The second email was a story," Peter continued. "This was the email. 'I was away from my children; they were out of town. I was missing them and suddenly the telephone rang. "Mom, I just saw our church on TV - down here in the Caribbean! It made me think of you and immediately I wanted to talk to you!" ' This was a message that had no concern about the over-commercialized message of Christma. Instead, the excitement came from of a mother's joy in hearing the voice of her child. "

And at that exact moment, the sanctuary flooded with an immense light. No one could have planned for Peter's story to be interrupted by such a burst. The sun's light filled the interior of our church. Hushed tones stood out, transformed in a total brilliance. The sun's majestic sweep at mid-day had pushed the clouds, and the darkness, away. That story in the colored glass shone as never before.

Never-mind the endless repetitions of "Silent Night" at the mall, obviously intended to pull the money out of your pocket. Something more powerful speaks at this season. Light covers us. The story moves us. TV programs, miles away, strengthen not only those family ties. "O little town of Bethlehem."

The Light of the World entered into a gloomy atmosphere. For hundreds of years prior to Caesar Augustus' arrival on the world scene, Middle Eastern divisions kept on splintering kingdoms. Into a broken world came the Word, the Light, the Love, the Way and the Truth and the Life.

The sun light eventually disappeared from our sanctuary, for the world kept on turning and once again night came. However, the Light of Life entered our world and and the darkness has not been able to quench His resurrection power.