Dear Friends,
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” [John 8:12 NIV]
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [Matthew 5:13-15 NIV]
This time of year, we start to look forward to Christmas and celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is recorded as referring to himself as “the Light of the World.” I wonder if I might refer to Jesus as our spiritual light, lifting our spirits during the short days and long dark nights of winter.
Jesus also calls us all to be the light of the world. He calls us to share with him in the ministry of bringing light into the darkest places of the earth.
As I write this, the situation in Palestine seems only to be getting worse, with much anguish on both side of the conflict. In Ukraine, the fighting has not stopped just because it’s not headline news any more.
And so I find myself reflecting on how can we be the light of the world here in our corner of Coventry. Jesus does not call us all to be great statesmen or women, he calls us to be who we are and where we are. But Jesus encourages us to focus on our own lives, our own world ̶ a world in which we can make a difference no matter how small. Every act of kindness equals a small glow of light. Every kind word equals a small glow of light. Every act of generosity equals a small glow of light.
Every time we go out of our way to help someone in need. equals a small glow of light. Jesus is and will always be the Light of the World, able to bring light, hope and peace this Christmas and every Christmas. I pray that we here at Baginton Road Church may also be lights in the darkness too.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all,
Revd Peter