A Way of Hope and Love - for 2025!

There’s a story of a woman sitting by the hospital bedside of her very sick husband.  Time ticks very slowly by and nothing seems to change. She feels the despair well up within her and looks out of the window into the midnight darkness.  The woman needs to move, to walk, to get out of the room for a bit and wanders off through the eerily silent corridors of the hospital wards. As she walks the deep reality of her grief hits her and though it is quiet and she alone, she heads for the lifts.  Riding up and down, the tears flow in the silent privacy that enfolds her.  Suddenly there is the telling ping of the lift signalling it stopping at a floor. In this dark and desperate place, where peace and pain comingle, an elderly gentleman enters the lift.  He presses the button for his floor and then silently stands to the side. There has only been the gentle nod of acknowledgement, and she hopes her tears have been quickly hidden as she wiped them with the back of her hand.  She continues to look down. After a moment he gently removes a neatly folded handkerchief and, with a kind and knowing smile, passes it to her. She looks up into his understanding eyes, the kindness and compassion radiating from there and offers a nod and sad smile back.

When the lift pings for a second time, he looks up then nods to her and quietly walks from the lift. There was something in his manner, his calm embrace of her pain in his gentle mannerisms, kind smile and a compassionate, understanding act that touched her and gave her a sense of peace in the midst of her pain. As she rode the lift back up and emerged onto her husband’s floor, she felt calmly embraced by the presence of God and knew that whatever happened over the next hours, she would be okay. She would be okay!

She sat back by her husband’s side and felt the peace and grace of the moment. In her darkness, in this place of despair and pain, this woman encountered God!  In the darkness of night there was a gentle light that radiated through her and lit her world with a renewed hope, love and life – even in the midst of her sadness and the precarious nature of her husband’s health. A gentle light filtering through our darkness brings hope and a measure of peace. We seek the Light – isn’t that part of the expectation of Christmas? Isn’t that the yearning of our hearts as we hear the evening news or face the realities of life?

As the anticipation and expectation (the Light?) of Christmas fades for another year, we enter into a new season, one called Epiphany. It is a season of manifestation, revelation – and light! In our southern hemisphere, we are in the season of light, bright days. A blazing sun rising early and riding the day long and hard, brilliant rays filling our world with warmth and light. We also read a simple story, Matthew’s ongoing story of Christmas – he will not let us pack it way or sentimentalise its simplicity.

A simple story of foreigners, pagans, astrologers – are they princes, kings, sages or magicians (magoi – magi) from Persia, with its mysteries and strange ways. They read the stars and planets and astral phenomena in the heavens – the abode of the gods. They apply interpretation and meaning and read the story of such events. A star rising, a new king born – the King of the Jews. Across the vastness they travel to pay homage to this new king. Following this rising star that points to the land of the Jews and its holy city, Jerusalem. They arrive in that city with its royal palace, its vast, holy temple, king and priests, pomp and ceremony and they enquire. ‘Where is this new king that is born, King of the Jews?’ 

The local king, a mad tyrannical, murderous despot, is alarmed, threatened, jealous and alert to the rival revealed. All Jerusalem feels this alarm – if Herod is anxious or angry, they will all feel on high alert – he is mad and dangerous! He seeks wisdom from the religious people – where is this promised king to be born? They are in the dark about any events – God has been silent apparently – but they search their Scriptures and identify the insignificant town of Bethlehem as the promised birthplace of the Messiah, the Christ, the Promised One…

The Magi receive the wisdom and set off, following the directions – and this mysterious star in the sky and arrive at a house where the mother and child are found. They worship and pay homage to this new king and present the ludicrous gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. What did these wise ones encounter and experience? What did they find in their journey, their worship, in the one they bowed before? What were they seeking and what did they find?

Through dreams and visions, they received a message to venture home quietly and avoid the murderous king. He realises he is thwarted and rages all the more, issuing a command to murder all males 2 years and younger in the Bethlehem area, as the little family seeks refuge as refugees in Egypt, escaping the violence…

What a story! Some will argue the historical veracity or not – is it true, an historical record or a story of the mythological prophecies, hopes, dreams and expectations of a people awaiting God’s Promised One? Does Matthew care? Does it matter for only as I enter into the story and hear it from the perspective of life and our world that it begins to make sense and offer its special way of transformation in my heart and being. As I enter into Matthew’s story and recognise my own strange seeking and quiet yearning of heart for the deeper mystery that lies beyond my grasp and control, the mystery of love that holds everything and which Matthew says is ever-present – especially in our darkness! 

In Matthew’s story, the real-world darkness penetrates the sentimentality of Christmas and a babe in a manger as the murderous despot, Herod, is revealed. He threatens, persecutes, tyrannises and causes pain in the world. As I ponder, I can recognise his face and voice in our world – the ones who lead nations into war, terrorising citizens and innocent people, causing mayhem through power struggles, jealousy, greed and madness of mind and heart. I recognise that there is also beauty and wonder in my world and people of gentle hopes and passion who follow dreams, with inclusive generosity and kindness.  There is beauty and love and wonder in the world and this simple, profound story moves me to recognise Matthew’s declaration that ‘God is with us!’ Wherever there is pain and passion, love and hope, where kindness and compassion and justice flourish, God is present. Whatever eventuates in this year unfurling before us, the joy and pain, hopeful and desperate, God is with us and the Christ in born into hearts of simple love and longing, open to wonder and present to the other.  God is with is in everything and if we open ourselves to hope and love, we will find our lives held in this sacred embrace!

May we seek wisdom, life and enlightenment in the simple and profound places of our world, expecting the unexpected God to be revealed in surprising and wondrous ways and forms – even when we least expect it.  For even in our deepest darkness, there will be light!