image by Gerd Altmann of Pixabay

             Both our Christmas and New Year’s celebrations are over. We’ve visited our friends in Montreal. Tomorrow, we leave for Vancouver to see our grandchildren there. Our lives are busy as usual. Tonight, I’m enjoying our Christmas tree. That’s right. We haven’t taken it down yet. All our decorations still bring beauty and light to our home. I love the decorations. I’m never in a hurry to put them away.

It’s the lights. This year our tree’s lights are multi-coloured. We have a lighted wreath in the entry way. My sister gave me another sparkling lantern, this time in the shape of a church. Lights bring so much joy. The older I get, the more light I need for reading.

I am reminded that Jesus, God with us, was only one person, one light. His task was to bring the light of God’s love to everyone he met. Since his birth, men, women and children have received his light, – his love and forgiveness – and like him have passed it on to others. Each time his love is offered, a new light shines in the darkness. Already there are millions of love lights shining around the world.

As 2023 begins, my heart is filled with a wonderful vision of our world so full of love lights that the darkness of greed, hatred, war, poverty, hunger, abuse. is gone. Together we can light up the world. That is my hope as a Christian, and I believe the hope of all religions.

In 2023, I want to be a love light for at least one person every single day, even on the days I feel cranky, exhausted, hurt, overwhelmed. The Wise Ones, in our Christmas story, brought their gifts to the baby king named Jesus and returned home a different way. I, too. have brought my gifts to friends, family and strangers. Now, I want to return to my daily routine with a different perspective. I want to remember that God’s love is given every day, not just now and then.

My prayer for 2023 is that all of us, religious, non-religious, even anti-religious, will walk a new path this year, a path committed to acceptance and love every day, every single day. Let’s see just how much light we human beings can give to our tired and sad old world this year.

            Jesus said, “I am the light of the world…Come and follow me.”Image by Vicki Hamilton from Pixabay