It’s another day of cold darkness with teary-rain weather in many places. It’s another day of darkness and teary-memories as Americans today remember the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But instead of his murder being a sign that things must change – racial slurs, hatred of “the other,” and violence continue.
And God weeps.
Weeping God, how you must ache for your people who face uncertain futures.
How you must ache for those who enter into conversations and political debate with open hearts and minds only to find threats, harassment, and fear leading the discussions and governing decisions.
How you must ache for those whose love of power, love of money and love of self, supersedes commitment to honesty, mercy, compassion, justice and integrity.
Some cry … “How long O Lord, how long?
Some whisper … “Let this cup be taken from us.”
Some try to remember … the presence of the Holy One even “in the valley of the shadow of death.”
Many feel a kaleidoscopic tumbling of emotions and know not what to do, how to pray, what to say. And as they weep, the Creator weeps.
On this Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, his words
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“I have decided to stick to love…Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“Faith is taking the first step, even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”
“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act. It is a permanent attitude.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
must light a spark so that … those who weep will never lose hope … those who perpetrate abusive words and actions will be transformed by the power of love … there will not be silence about things that matter … and there will be no cause to refer to Weeping God unless the tears are tears of joy.
May you rest in peace Martin, faithful servant of the Creator and may the people who follow be inspired by your life, your witness, your words.
It never ceases to amaze me how similar, rather than how different, people are. And each year at this time, I’m reminded of that truism because different cultures and religions welcome a similar image – a candle – as a meaningful symbol in their rituals, celebrations, worship, traditions.
In that symbolic image … we share a powerful similarity … those who follow the ancient Celtic tradition of Winter Solstice place a candle in their window as a symbol of light overcoming darkness … the eight day Jewish celebration of Hanukkah is marked by the lighting of an eight-candled Menorah on each day of Hanukkah, often referred to as the Festival of the Lights … the four week Season of Advent before Christmas Day is marked by the lighting of a different candle each Sunday anticipating the hope, peace, love and joy of the Season of Christmas as candles/lights on Christmas trees and wreaths continue the theme of light and focus on the man, Jesus, believed by Christians to be the Light of the World.
Today, December 26th, African culture and history is celebrated in the United States by the seven day festival of Kwanzaa. That’s today! During Kwanzaa (a Swahili word for ‘first’ meaning ‘first fruits’), a special candle holder (a Kinara) holds seven candles: three red ones on the left, three green ones on the right with a black candle in the centre.
The seven Kinara candles represent the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa (Unity, Self-Determination, Collective work and responsibility, Cooperative economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith). Each night during Kwanzaa a candle is lit … the centre (black) candle is lit first and on each of the subsequent nights of Kwanzaa, the black candle alternates between the red and green candles (stating with the ones on the outside and moving inwards) – which is similar to the lighting of the Shamash candle in the centre of the Menorah which then lights the other lights in the stand for Jewish people in their celebration of Hanukkah.
And before the month of December, there is Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, symbolizing the spiritual ‘victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance’ where, in northern India, they celebrate the defeat of their enemy by lighting rows of clay lamps. There are likely others but suffice to say, light is an important symbol for many people, cultures, religions.
To those who put a light in their window each night throughout the ancient tradition of Winter Solstice … to those who light the Menorah on each of the eight days of Hanukkah … to those who light the candles on each of the four weeks of the Season Advent … to those who place lights in wreaths and trees throughout the twelve days of the Season of Christmas, in Solstice, Hanukkah and tonight, a Happy Kwanzaa as they begin their seven nights of lighting the Kinara, thank you for keeping the light going.
May the light shine from within each of us – through each of us – and beyond each of us – so that when we watch the news and become disenchanted, distressed, concerned or fearful by the growing spread of the pandemic, we focus more on what ‘unites’ us than what ‘divides us’ … as President John F. Kennedy reminded us “remember that what unites us is greater than what separates us.”
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Tonight, December 21st, is the longest night of the year. It’s Winter Solstice, in the final week of Advent, just days before Christmas. This is the time of the year when many are expecting to feel joy, be that because of their celebration of a religious festival or winter holiday, or simply connecting with family and friends.
But when people hurt, it’s difficult to feel joy. Many aren’t able to tap into any sense of hope or peace either, because of personal loss of a loved one, problems with finances, employment, housing, health, fear about the future.
Around this time each year, many churches and communities offer “Blue Christmas” services to try and offset the stress that is being felt by busyness, cacophony and expectations of the holiday season.
But, going out in the evening, when it is dark or the roads are impassable because of inclement weather or one is unwell, or when the thought of being with others feels even more draining that the festivities at the time of the year seem to bring, makes attendance at such services difficult.
And so, a thought came to me – create a When Christmas Hurts/Blue Christmas ritual for individuals who are sad/blue. If you are someone for whom peace, hope, joy are elusive at this time of the year, it is my prayer that following along with this liturgy will bring you comfort.
Before you begin, I encourage you to find some candles and a match. You might find a particular coloured candle or a variety of candle colours is helpful. Any four candles can help. I love the colour of royal blue and it “fits” with the Blue Christmas theme and royal blue is the colour of the Season of Advent (the four weeks before Christmas Day) for many.
As each candle is lit (hopefully in a darkened or semi-darkened room to get the effect of the light emanating from the candle), you may want to have some quiet music playing in the background or simply be in silence.Choose a time and place when tv, children, family, friends, loud music, electronic devices will not be a distraction.
Speak out loud or think / pray each phrase slowly, reflectively. There is no need to hurry. This is your time. Take the time to “be” in the moment.
To begin … take a few slow, deep breaths from your abdomen, inhaling a welcome of peace to yourself and exhaling that which brings anxiety. When you find your breathing has slowed down … begin.
LIGHT FIRST CANDLE AND SAY / THINK / PRAY SLOWLY AND QUIETLY
I light this candle to remember those persons who have been loved and lost this past year and in years long ago.
I pause to remember their name(s) … their face(s) … their voice(s). (Give yourself time to do this.)
I give thanks for the memory that binds them to me at this difficult time. (Give yourself time to do this)
May Eternal Love surround them.
[Silent time for reflection]
~~~~~
LIGHT SECOND CANDLE AND SAY, THINK, PRAY SLOWLY AND QUIETLY
I light this second candle to redeem the pain of loss: … the loss of relationships … the loss of employment … the loss of health … the loss of hope … the loss of Christmas … the loss of … (whatever you are experiencing as ‘loss’ at this time)
(Give yourself time to think of those which apply to you.)
As I gather up the pain of the past, I offer it, asking that the gift of peace, shalom, wholeness be placed into my heart, my head, my spirit.
(Give yourself time to do this)
May I be refreshed, restored and renewed.
[Silent time for reflection]
~~~~~~~
LIGHT THIRD CANDLE AND SAY, THINK, PRAY SLOWLY AND QUIETLY I light this third candle to remember myself.
I pause and remember the past weeks, months (years) … the down times … the poignancy of memories … the grief … the sadness … the hurts … the fear … the pain of reflecting on my own mortality … past Christmases
(Give yourself time to do this.)
May I remember that dawn defeats darkness.
May I remember the words written on a wall at Dachau prison — “I believe in the sun even when it’s not shining; I believe in the stars even when I see them not; I believe in God even when I don’t see God.” (or – I believe in Love even when I don’t feel Love.”)
[Silent time of reflection]
~~~~~~~ LIGHT FOURTH CANDLE AND SAY, THINK, PRAY SLOWLY AND QUIETLY
I light this fourth candle to remember the gift of hope.
I lean on the Holy One who shares my life … promises a place and time of no more pain and suffering … and who loves unconditionally
(Give yourself time to do this … or substitute any phrasing that will be meaningful for you).
May I not forget the One who shows the way and goes with me into my tomorrows.
[Silent time of reflection]
Amen. So be it. Amen. (“Amen” means “So be it.”)
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The “Blue Christmas” individual ritual/liturgy has now come to a close.
You may want to consider spending time in the darkness … looking at the lit candles … listening to quiet music … soaking in a hot bath … sipping a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate.
May you be assured that there are people who care and people who pray for ‘those who think that no one cares for them’.
There they were … perched on a rock, surrounded by twigs and grasses. Seashells. A variety of seashells.
What were they doing there? There was no ocean nearby. No sandy shore. And yet, there they were. Seashells and a little wooden star nestled on a path in the woods.
I almost didn’t see them. It was raining, And I was walking quickly to avoid the puddles and mud.
And then a question deep within surfaced. “What other treasures do I miss because I’m in a hurry … because my thoughts are focused elsewhere?”
And I wondered “what treasured-moments do we all miss because our thoughts are elsewhere … our eyes are elsewhere?”
Whoever placed those little treasures in that place on that rainy morning … thank you.
I’ve been playing with alcohol ink again lately. Alcohol inks are vibrant, fast-drying and a highly fluid colour. They work on just about any clean, oil-free surface, are moisture-resistance and once they dry, they’re permanent. I had some small pieces of tile and thought it would be fun to play and experiment with the alcohol ink on the tiles.
It was an intriguing experience. I didn’t “design” anything ahead of time. I simply plopped little drops of coloured alcohol ink on the white tile and watched it move.
The alcohol ink went where it chose to go and as I watched the movement of the alcohol ink on the tile, creating shapes, blending colours, I was reminded of Carl Jung’s words “I am not what happens to me. I am what I choose to become.” The outcome of the alcohol ink on the tile was a direct result of what it ‘chose to be.’
I wonder – what about us? Do we self-predict our lives negatively by focusing on what happened in the past? Do we nurture and encourage our lives by focusing on becoming what we choose to be?
“I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to be.” <Carl Jung>
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that reaffirms the ideals of Judaism and commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem by the lighting of candles on each day of the Hanukkah festival.
May it be blessed, happy and safe for all observing Hanukkah in these turbulent times. Chag Sameach!
My dear friends,
