"The winter solstice celebrates the return of hope to our land as our planet experiences the first slow turn toward greater daylight. Soon we will welcome the return of the sun and the coming of springtime. As we do so, let us remember and embrace the positive, enriching aspects of winter's darkness. Pause now to sit in silence in the darkness of this space. Let this space be a safe enclosure of creative gestation for you."

(Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr. "A Celebration of Winter Solstice", The Circle of Life)

Creator, Redeemer, Life-Giving Advocate

One God in whose name we gather and pray

Father, Son, Holy Spirit

Amen

1

In the beginning, the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters. (Gn 1:1-2)

Emptiness. Darkness. Confusion. It was a world without welcome, an earth that held no warmth. It was a place of shapeless stars and uncolored skies, a place where human love had not yet felt a heartbeat. Yet, it held potential. A kind of yearning stirred in the emptiness. The disarray waited for a breath that would waken it to life. (Fran Ferder, Words Made Flesh, p 17)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

2

Then God said: Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good. (Gn 1:3-4)

All things came to be through the Word, and without the Word nothing came to be. What came to be through the Word was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Jn 1:3-5)

God’s very breath reached out to, went into, and continued to sustain all of creation. The breath of God became our breath. (Fran Ferder, Words Made Flesh, p 18)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

Creator of the Stars of Night – verse 1

3

How precious is your mercy, O God! The children of Adam take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the rich food of your house; from your delightful stream you give them drink. For with you is the fountain of life, and in your light we see light. (Ps 36:8-10)

God’s spirit hovered. … a tender, caring God hovers over all of creation, eager to carry that which cannot yet carry itself. … Breathing. Hovering. When our lives most reflect the sacred pattern that brought us into being, perhaps then we are closest to the holy, and therefore, the most whole. (Fran Ferder, Words Made Flesh, p 18, 19)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

4

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God (Jn 1:9-12)

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” (Mt 4:15-16)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

Creator of the Stars of Night – verse 2

5

Our Father in heaven, may your name be held holy, holy, holy (Mt 6:9)

Thank you for speaking so we were created,

for breathing so we came to life,

for hovering so we were guided,

for coming among us so that we know our salvation.

Your kingdom come (Mt 6:10)

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Mt 4:16) “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mk 1:15)

“Now, therefore, put away the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” Then the people promised Joshua, “We will serve the LORD, our God, and will listen to God’s voice.” (Josh 24:23-24)

Your will be done, on earth as in heaven (Mt 6:10)

This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. (Jn 15:12)

My soul lives for the Lord! My children will serve, will proclaim God to the future, announcing to peoples yet unborn, “God saves”. (Ps 22:31-32)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

6

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:45-46)

Do not rejoice over me, my enemy! though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD is my light. I will endure the wrath of the LORD because I have sinned against the LORD, Until the LORD pleads my case, and establishes my right. The LORD will bring me forth to the light; I will see the LORD’s righteousness. (Micah 7:8-9)

I will lead the blind on a way they do not know; by paths they do not know I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them, and make crooked ways straight. These are my promises: I made them, I will not forsake them. (Is 42:16)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

7

With all we are, we wait for God, the Lord, our help, our shield. Our hearts find joy in the Lord; we trust God’s holy name. Love us, Lord! We wait for you. (Ps 33:20-22)

As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (Jn 9:1-5)

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person once grown old be born again? (Jn 3:1-4)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

Creator of the Stars of Night – verse 3

8

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

(Simon and Garfunkel, “Sounds of Silence”)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

9

(All) From the rising of the midwinter sun to its setting,

Scatter the darkness with the light of your love, O Shining One.

Make me short on mean thoughts, long on offering words of comfort.

Make me short on focusing only on my own, long on looking beyond.

Make me short on obsessive lists, long on spontaneous acts of kindness,

Make me short on mindless activity, long on time to reflect.

Make me short on tradition as a habit, long on rediscovery and re-owning.

Make me short on guilt, long on being merciful to myself.

Make me short on being overwhelmed, long on peaceableness as I set forth this day.

(from Tess Ward, “A Midwinter Prayer”)

Lord, today make me an instrument of your peace. May I seek to console, to understand, to give, to pardon, to die to self, to love. Then hatred will be transformed to love, injury to pardon, error to truth, doubt to faith, discord to unity, despair to hope, darkness to light, sadness to joy. For thus we are born to Eternal Life.

(Prayer of St Francis, modified)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

10

Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising … And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star (Mt 2:2, 9, 10)

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” (Lk 2:29-32)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

Creator of the Stars of Night – verse 4

11

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing (Is 9:1-2)

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. (Mt 5:14-16)

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth. (Eph 5:8-9)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

12

(Women) Dear God, help me embrace the darkness of this day, knowing that from the very deepest dark comes the brightest Light.

(Men) Help me to feel my own darkness, where fear resides inside, within my wounded child who is scared of being on Earth.

(Women) With your love, I may use the darkness of nature on this day to hold my wounded child close to my breast, letting her tell me all of her fears.

(Men) She will tell me how I scare her; I will ask her to tell me how I abandon her.

(Women) I will use this darkness to let her cry; and with her final tear she will begin to sense the Light.

(Men) I will use this day to go to the depths of my own dark places because I know you are with me always, and that only by going into the darkness may we see the truth of our Light.

(All) Thank you, God, for giving me life so that I may explore the darkness and the Light.

Thank you for the cycle of creation.

Thank you for my breath, my heart, my body and my mind.

Thank you for the Light of my soul, where, though I sometimes forget, I long to always be.

(Nancy Swisher,Winter Solstice Prayer to the Inner Child)

Come, follow me

“I am the Light of Christ.”

May we find hope in the lights we have kindled on this sacred night,
hope in one another and in all who form the web-work of peace and justice
that spans the world.

In the heart of every person on this Earth
burns the spark of luminous goodness;
in no heart is there total darkness.
May we who have celebrated this winter solstice,
by our lives and service, by our prayers and love,
call forth from one another the light and the love
that is hidden in every heart.
Amen.

(Edward Hays, A winter Solstice Prayer, Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim)

Christ, Be Our Light