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| Image by Ralph Arvesen |
A Meditation for the Longest Night
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A GREETING
My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.
(Psalm 119:28)
A READING
Listen, God, to my prayer;
my cry goes out to you alone.
Don't hide your face on the day of my anguish.
Lean your ear toward me;
when I cry out; answer me quickly.
(Psalm 102:1-2)
MUSIC
A MEDITATIVE VERSE
When I thought, ‘My foot is slipping’,
your steadfast love, O God, held me up.
(Psalm 94:18)
A BLESSING
To all that is chaotic
in you,
let there come silence.
Let there be
a calming
of the clamoring,
a stilling
of the voices that
have laid their claim
on you,
that have made their
home in you,
that go with you
even to the
holy places
but will not
let you rest,
will not let you
hear your life
with wholeness
or feel the grace
that fashioned you...
Let there be
an opening
into the quiet
that lies beneath
the chaos,
where you find
the peace
you did not think
possible
and see what shimmers
within the storm.
- from "Epiphany 4: Blessing in the Chaos" by Jan Richardson,
found on paintedprayerbook.com
VERSE FOR THE DAY
With weeping they shall come,
and with consolations I will lead them back.
(Jeremiah 31:9)
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| "Evening Light" by Isobel Hamilton (2020) |
In many countries on the winter solstice, there is a tradition of ‘Longest Night' gatherings that offer spiritual companionship to those who live with sadness in this season. Sometimes we find ourselves devastated by realities that cannot be fixed or changed. Sometimes that truth can leave us feeling profoundly lost and alone. Although we may wish to, we may not really see any hope on the horizon at all. Today we make space for that painful place.
The Celtic people believed that evil spirits caused the sun to come to a stop for twelve days in winter. When it seemed to be moving again, they knew they had survived the winter solstice. From year to year, a log was saved to rekindle, creating a new fire that would burn through the darkness. The Yule log allowed a means for keeping warm, and for doing tasks and chores that had to continue in the dark.
In much of the northernmost part of the planet, today will have no sun at all. There is currently no daylight in Tuktoyaktuk, in the Northwest Territories, and there won’t be until January 14th. On that day, the sun will be up for less than an hour.
Jesus understands darkness, it is a part of his life. Jesus is born into chaos and violence and Jesus dies that way too. These framing realities do not alter his purpose or his commitment to bringing love to the world. Love lives in darkness, love lives in light. Jesus comes into all of it to bring his whole self to us, so that we may know him — in darkness, in light and in all the shades between. The birth of Jesus reminds us that we never have to be alone within our own internal pain, temptation or isolation. Jesus has experienced suffering and his love is always with us.
On this longest night, what is the anguish that Jesus is holding with you? How can you feel his strength as you move forward together, one love-drenched step at a time?
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| Image by John Arnold |
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LC† Come Holy Darkness is a project of Lutherans Connect, supported by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the Centre for Spirituality and Media at Martin Luther University College. To receive the devotions by email, write to lutheransconnect@gmail.com. The devotional pages are written and curated by Deacon Sherry Coman, with support and input from Pastor Steve Hoffard, Catherine Evenden and Henriette Thompson. Join us on Facebook, and on Twitter. Lutherans Connect invites you to make a donation to the Ministry by going to this link on the website of the ELCIC Eastern Synod and selecting "Lutherans Connect Devotionals" under "Fund". Devotions are always freely offered, however your donations help to support extended offerings throughout the year.
Thank you and peace be with you!