All of my life I have had
Seasonal Affected Disorder (S.A.D.). When fall begins, I find myself counting
the days to the winter solstice and the lengthening of the daylight hours. The
medical profession claims that this disorder is caused by the shortage of
sunlight perhaps upsetting circadian rhythm or producing less Vitamin D. It is estimated
that 20% of the people of my Celtic ethnicity suffer from this malady. The
symptoms are depression, and loss of enthusiasm.
The month of December also
brings back memories of family gatherings of the past. I am an only child of my
mother but she had 3 sisters and 4 brothers and they have produced an immediate
family of over 30 people. We gathered at our grandparents at Christmas and made
happy memories that fade with each family death and passing year.
The combination of S.A.D.
and growing old and losing family can bring despair. Despair is defined as the
loss of hope. Hope is the feeling of expectation and a desire for positive
things to happen.
Expectation is what
Christmas is all about. Strictly from the gospel accounts, the expectation of
the Jewish Messiah comes through clearly. For example, Simeon and Anna (Luke 2)
both understood the importance of Jesus's birth, and Simeon in particular
detailed the Messiah's role as "a light of revelation to the Gentiles.” When
the magi arrived (Matthew 2), the scholars in Israel directed them to Bethlehem
as the Messiah's birthplace.
The apostle Andrew calls
his brother, Peter, to Jesus by saying, "We have found the Messiah"
(John 1:41). Later, the Samaritan woman at the well knows the Messiah will come
(John 4:25).
On Christmas day one of
the shortest daylight hours of the year we celebrate the birth of the “Light of
the World” (John 8:12 NIV) 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."
We don’t know the exact
date of Jesus birth but there is evidence that it was in late September. The celebration of Jesus’ birth at midwinter was decided by the early church Fathers to compete
with Pagan celebrations at the winter solstice. I am glad that we celebrate
Christmas on this otherwise dark and dreary day the expectation of light is
what encourages and assures me to wait for spring and
rebirth.
This is what Hope means to
me. That the light of Jesus will keep me
out of the darkness of despair and will make of me an instrument to do his will,
to love Him with all my heart soul and mind and to love my neighbor as myself.
Larry Campbell
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