REMINDER: The 12 days of Christmas are December 25 – January 5 (Epiphany Eve). This is to recognize the time that elapsed between the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Magi (on Epiphany). Some suggest it might have been as long as two years before they arrived, though the church has condensed it to 12 days of joyful celebration.
Scripture: John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
Thought from Day One of the Twelve Days of Christmas:
On the first day of Christmas, my God gave to me – a gift of light wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a dark and dingy feeding trough. Anything else said might diminish the power of that image, yet we must remind the world that this event is not tied to a moment in history. It is a revelation of God’s eternal character, and for that reason, each day God takes the opportunity to be the gift of light in the dark and dingy realities of human life. Wherever you are this day, God is being born to you.
Prayer: Your gift of light and life is born unto us this day, O Loving Lord. Whatever our situation might be, give us the tools by which we can perceive and receive this marvelous gift. Amen.
