THE LONGEST NIGHT

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by Pastor Nancy DeStefano

The holidays can be a difficult time, a time of both joy and grief, for many of us. While the world around us says this is the happiest time of the year, we may feel a mixture of emotions that can be confusing and seem out of step or even wrong. We can feel disconnected as we try to go through the motions of putting on a happy face when deep-down we may not be feeling all that jolly.

Life is a mixture of joy and sadness, struggle and celebration, lament and hope. It is into that world that Jesus came, to be a light shining in the darkness. It is into our lives of both joy and sadness that Jesus comes today. The service of The Longest Night acknowledges this reality and allows us to bring both our joy and our pain to God who knows our grief and walks with us through the darkness, lighting our way with love and grace.

The service is called The Longest Night because it is held on or near the winter solstice, when the days begin, ever so slowly, to get longer as the nights grow shorter. It is the perfect time for Christ to come into the world. We are reminded in the Gospel of John

“What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:3b-4)

It doesn’t matter the reason for our struggles. It may come from a loss of a loved one recently or long ago. The holidays often bring these losses back to us in a way that is more acute than at other times of the year as we remember times gone by with our loved one that will not come again. It may be from a divorce, emptynest, loss of job or a dream, a loved-one’s illness or our own diagnosis. It may just be a general sense that this world is in a dark night and we need the light of Christ more than ever.

Whatever your reason for coming, you are welcome. We will pray together, sing hymns, share Eucharist and light candles to remember our pain and open ourselves to God’s presence with us on this journey. We will create a safe space to remember our pain and losses, allowing our memories to bring both the joy and pain that come from remembering. So come, recognizing that you are not alone, that others also feel this mixture of emotions in this season. God tenderly cares for us in our grief and encourages us to live the days ahead in the light of Christ that is come into the world.

Join us in the Church for The Longest Night: A Service of Remembrance, Consolation, and Assurance December 21 at 6:00pm 17