It's only August 23rd, and yet the light is beginning markedly to wane. Tonight the sun was setting even as Church let out. It brings the thought of the long hours of winter darkness that await the Church in the northern hemisphere. How utterly blessed we are to look forward to celebrating in the midst of that darkness the joyous light of All Saints, the Feasts of St. Andrew and St. Thomas, and above all the Nativity of our Lord. Truly, into the darkness a great Light has shone!
The older I become, the more aware I am of the reality and depth of the darkness - and that is far from an external phenomenon - and the less I welcome it, save that it makes such a stunning foil to the Light that shines from our Savior:
From the manger new born light
Shines in glory through the night.
Darkness there no more resides;
In this light faith now abides. - LSB 332:7
(St. Ambrose through Blessed Martin Luther)
I have noticed how quickly Fall is coming, it seems earlier and earlier every year, or I am surprised by it every year anyway.
ReplyDeleteI was noticing tonight the advance of the darkness while we were putting the kids to bed.
ReplyDeleteI think you got your last sentence backwards. Shouldn't it be "...save that the Light that shines from our Savior makes such a stunning foil to the darkness"?