DEAR FRIENDS IN CHRIST,
When it is dark, we yearn for the light. That yearning is strongest this time of year. It is dark when we leave our homes in the morning and dark when we return. Dusk seems more fleeting, for it comes earlier than we wish. The mounting gloom hems us in. Traffic is tougher. The dog must be walked by flashlight. Chores wait for the weekend. We are happier indoors, where lamps and candles bring the warmth and illumination we crave.
Yet the close of the year meets a need in our souls. We are reminded that earthly things come to an end. The darkness, chill, and dampness outside prompt us to find solace within. The very rhythm of things invites us to reflect, to remember, and to pray.