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A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Bishop Jo Bailey Wells

Good morning.

I want to tell you about a Christmas card I once received that I’ve never forgotten. It came from the parents of Ali, a friend who had died from cancer after an 18-months of treatment– I've never seen anyone so determined to live in the midst of chemo and radiotherapy. Ali left behind two toddler, countless friends and family who loved her so dearly and were devastated. I still weep to think of that beautiful colourful energetic life, extinguished. ‘What is God doing?'’ so many of us were asking.

Well, I’m not God and I can’t answer that question. But I can tell you that Ali’s parents’ Christmas card went a long way to help me live with the question. There was a very simple drawing of a candle, and with it a quote from the bible, from John’s gospel, chapter 1 verse 5. It read, ‘The light still shines. The darkness does not extinguish it’.

Jesus comes to us at Christmas as a light in the darkness. His light does not remove the reality of darkness – his coming is not like some magic wand from heaven – yet it brings light, it brings hope. It shows us God has not forgotten or abandoned us and even in the worst circumstances God is with us, God is present in darkest night of struggle and suffering. That was the experience of Ali’s parents, and it’s my experience too. Though it was helpful to be reminded!

Lord God, shine your light into our darkness. May that light bring truth where there is deceit, direction where there is confusion, hope where there ‘s despair. Whatever our circumstances, may we know the reality that your light still shines, and cling to the promise that the darkness will never extinguish it. Through Christ, who is the Light of the World.

Amen.