Some wonder if the star of Bethlehem
Occurred when Jupiter and Saturn crossed;
It’s comforting to look up from this roof
And feel that, while all changes, nothing’s lost,
To recollect that in antiquity
The winter solstice fell in Capricorn
And that, in the Orion Nebula,
From swirling gas, new stars are being born.
— Timothy Steele, from “Toward the Winter Solstice”
As the days grow shorter leading up to the Winter Solstice, I am mindful of how the news of the world can pull us into its own shadow. We follow reports of mass shootings, including violence at a Hanukkah celebration on a beach in Australia and a school shooting at Brown; the spectacle of a president mocking other leaders through name-calling, memorialized on bronze plaques; the criminalization of gender-affirming care; and yet another brown American detained simply for existing. It would be easy to remain in the shadows and stop looking for the light.
And yet, while all of this is true, so is this: an all-night prayer vigil was organized to warm people without shelter on the coldest night of the week. Grants were awarded to help people find refuge from violence. Someone invited a grieving widow to Christmas dinner. Someone else paid an electric bill to keep a neighbor's heat on. Today, thousands of Christmas cards were exchanged. Homemade ornaments traveled home from school backpacks. Someone received an acceptance letter to the college of their dreams. Birds splashed in baths filled with fresh rainwater, and squirrels balanced on fence posts, munching on the last fresh nuts of the season.
Suffering and violence are not new. But neither are comfort nor resistance. Like stars that shine through the darkest nights, love breaks through—especially in times that feel unprecedented.
So, as the nights lengthen, may our longing draw us closer to one another, closer to the mystery within, and closer to the wonder of the stars—steady in appearance but really ever-changing, just like everything else.
If you are looking for companions to share how this season holds both beauty and grief, comfort and longing, join us Saturday for a Wild Grief Walk or Sunday evening for our Blue Christmas service (details below).
May you find peace in your heart, and space to welcome the light of Love into your body and your home once again. Let us prepare for the light that is coming.
Advent Blessings,
Pastor Lauren