The Light.

            Living in the Holy Land makes you appreciate things you may have missed before.  One such thing is the warmth and comfort of sunlight. Ever since we arrived here, we have noticed the difference between standing in the sunlight and standing in the shade.  When you are in the sun you feel the warmth pour over you giving you energy and comfort.  However, when you move out of the sun or the sun is hidden by clouds you immediately feel cold.  You can almost feel your body growing more tired as it uses its own energy to try and keep itself warm.  The difference is so striking that you can go from shivering to comfortable in just a few short steps.

            There is a lesson here for our spiritual life.  In the beginning of the Gospel According to John we are told that the Baptist “came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe  . . . the true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:7 & 9).  Jesus Christ is our Light.  And here in the land in which both John the Baptist and John the Evangelist lived, we see how important light can be.  It not only illuminates everything for us to see, but it also nourishes us and gives us energy and strength to engage in our activities for the day.  Just as the sun helps us to live each day to the fullest, so too does the Son give us the grace we need to live our Christian walk to the fullest.  During this Christmas season and all year long He gives us everything we need, if we just stay in His Light.