"Emmanuel: Glimpses of God Incarnate," December 2

Thursday, December 2

James 1:17-18

“Father of Lights”

IN THIS PASSAGE FROM JAMES, we hear God spoken of as “the Father of Lights,” who is the source of every good gift. As Christmas approaches, it can be difficult to remember God as the giver of all our gifts and as “the Father of Lights” when so much in our culture focuses on buying gifts and lighting up Christmas trees or our home exteriors. The lights around Christmas time may be a continuation of centuries-old celebrations that typically were held around midwinter, the darkest night of the year, sometime in late December.

Christians indeed may forget the gifts of God all around us—the gifts of creation—and the lights in the heavenly realm that set our internal clocks for day and night. It is the extraordinary brightness of a single star that led the Magi to the place where the child lay with his mother, Mary, and yet, how often do we get to go outside and appreciate the stars that shine over our heads during the busy days and weeks leading up to Christmas?

One reason may be that the amount of light emanating from electrical lights can make seeing the stars difficult. In the fall and spring, when migratory birds depend upon the stars and the moon to guide their epic journeys, this light pollution can be disorienting and even deadly. The American Bird Conservatory estimates that four million migrating birds die each year by colliding into brightly lit buildings.

We can spend more time reflecting on the Father of Lights and the giver of all good gifts this Advent season by making sure our outdoor light fixtures are reflecting light downward rather than up to the sky, and that they use the minimum wattage of electricity necessary. During peak seasons of bird migration in the spring and fall, pay attention to “lights out” nights when outdoor lights should be left off if at all possible to minimize the disturbance to migratory birds. By paying attention to our surroundings and our impact on creation, we can respond with gratitude to the Father of Lights who has blessed us with every good and perfect gift, including the gift of stars.

– Rev. Dr. Carolyn Helsel, Associate Professor in The Blair R. Monie Distinguished Chair in Homiletics