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In rural parts of New England, the farmers decorate their houses, garages, barns, and machinery with lights at Christmastime. Drive along a dark, two-lane road in winter, and every half mile or so you will see a brightly lighted homestead filling the night, every light reflected off the snow, greeting travelers, welcoming friends, redeeming the dark time of the year. It’s a very welcome sight.

Walking through the University Quad after dark recently, I saw that several trees had been strung with Christmas lights. I got a little lift from seeing the many tiny lights as they cast their warmth on the whole area. Although we differ in our politics, I could readily appreciate Peggy Noonan’s image of "a thousand points of light" which, taken together, illuminate and redeem all of society.

Light is the central symbol of this season of the year. The lights of Hanukkah, of Christmas, of the Yule fire and the reborn Sun all make this a time in which miracles hover in the air around us singing Hosanna. What is required of us is that we accept the symbol into our lives, find meaning for it, and respond with light of our own. We call this "getting into the spirit of the season."

Getting into the spirit of the season may take a special effort on account of the excess of bad taste we see so early and so blatantly in the stores. For me, because of the way I was raised, this is the Christmas season, and to get into it’s spirit requires more than lights. I usually have to pull out my very thick file of Christmas stories and readings and go through them one by one. All the old favorites have to be visited—Scrooge and Tiny Tim, Yes, Virginia, The Gift of the Magi, The Juggler of Our Lady, Befana the Christmas Witch, Christmas in the Trenches, and oh so many more. Each one holds a special memory, something I have shared with my children or with congregations again and again over the years. Each story reminds me that generosity, change of heart, and love that passes understanding are still possible in our world. When I’ve finished revisiting all those spirits of Christmas past, when I’ve cried and softened, when my soul has filled with richness, then I am in the spirit of the season. I can even look at the talking Christmas trees in Walgreens and not feel assaulted.

Each of those stories calls us to find the light in ourselves that will allow us, each and every one, to be a blessing unto the world, to add our light to those of the season. With luck our light will shine forth from us through all coming year.

Affectionately, Dennis