What is it about candles that draws children, and the child in each of us, to their flickering mystery? Candles! They're just sticks of wax, with a wick running through the middle. That's all they are. Some wax, some scent, and some color. But light one, and they become something more. They become enticing--their light is not just light, it's also warmth and security.they glow. And in a sense, don't we almost glow with them? I wonder if the mystique of candles doesn't have something to do with our ancient, primordial fear of the dark. I don't know that you could say it's instinctual--but humans struggled for hundreds of thousands of years with the reality of darkness, before figuring out how to make these little wax sticks that could burn for hours and push back the encroaching darkness. Candles surely touch something primeval inside us--something that is drawn to the light--especially in the midst of darkness.

     For that reason, it's kind of a shame that we read from the first chapter of St. John's Gospel, always on Christmas Day--in the daylight. It would be fitting to read it late at night on Christmas Eve, in the dark, by candlelight--but, at our evening services, we couldn't get away without reading the Christmas Gospel from Luke chapter 2. And maybe it's just as well the Church has seen fit to read about the True Light, on Christmas morning, when the light has truly, overcome the darkness of night, and the risen sun, itself, proclaims the coming of the Light of Christ, into the world. And yet, in spite of this daylight--in spite of man's ability to create his own light, most of the time-- let us not deceive ourselves into thinking that WE have overcome the darkness. No, not that. Never that. Never have we been able to do away with darkness, altogether. Though we have electricity, and flashlights, and torches and matches--still, there are times when we are left in darkness. And the same is true in terms of the darkness of sin, evil and violence as well. We have made some strides, we have made some progress--we human beings. But by ourselves, we have not been able to wipe out the darkness of hatred, terrorism, disobedience and death. There have been flashes of light, from humanity, that have pushed back the forces of spiritual darkness in our world--but only for a moment. And then, before we know it, the darkness is able to push back. Terrorists strike; a suicide bomber has his way; a child is run over in a crosswalk; a loved one is diagnosed with cancer; a teenager dies of alcohol abuse.the darkness, pushing into the light, continues. Which is why John, in his gospel saw fit to remind us of these facts. Because after the warm glow of Christmas Eve has faded, the reality of darkness returns, and we are faced with the truth of our situation.

     Oh, of course, at the time John was writing his gospel, the Church did not know our celebration of Christmas Eve. The Christmas tree, and the nativity scene, and the midnight mass-all came much, much later than John was writing. But John did know about the other gospel traditions-he knew about Luke's account of the Virgin Mary, and of Bethlehem, and angels and shepherds. And he knew about Matthew's account of Joseph and the angel of the Lord, and the star, and the wise men from the east. John knew about the treatment the other evangelists gave the birth of Jesus. And John felt no need to give more details about the conception, and the birth, and the stable and the heavenly glorias. John, writing some time later, saw wisdom in telling about the meaning of this birth-of sharing the theology of this birth-the deep, profound purpose, in a God become human-the Word become flesh to dwell among us. St. John gives us a lot of theology in his first chapters. Beginning at the very beginning, when the Word was with God and the Word was God-and all things came into being through him, and nothing was made without the Word-the very mind and essence of God. And even then, at the beginning, John tells us, the Word was life, and what came into being in him was life-and that life, was light-it was indeed, the light of all people. And the light has shined in the darkness from the beginning on-and though the darkness has persisted, the light shined on-and the darkness has never overcome it. And John says, though this light existed always; though this Light was present at the beginning, at creation-though this light shined into the world, and was reflected in the world-the Light was not yet in the world. And this, writes St. John, this is the meaning of the Incarnation-this is the meaning of the birth of the Word, become flesh in Jesus. That the True Light, was coming into the world. He had been in the world, and the world came into being through Him, but the world still did not know Him-the Word, the Light, the Son of God. So, this Word-Light-Son of God, became flesh-was born of woman, to live among us, to be among us, to be light, in our darkness. And this, is what John wants us to hear and to know this morning, as celebrate the birth of Jesus. Not just that Jesus was born of Mary-not just that there were angels and shepherds attending his birth-John wants us to know that in Jesus, the Light has come to us-that in Jesus, the True Light has come, not to shine, like the sun, from far away and distant reaches in space-but to shine, among us, with us, in us. Like a candle that can never be extinguished, John proclaims that the Light has come into the world, and has come to us, to shine in the darkness that sometimes surrounds us and threatens to engulf us. This light, John proclaims, will never fail us.

     And as we celebrate the Christ-Mass, isn't interesting, and not co-incidental, that similar images and a similar message, is proclaimed in the Thanksgiving for Light in the Exsultet of the Great Easter Vigil, as we bless the Paschal Candle that represents Christ's presence among us. We pray, "Almighty God, bless this candle whose light is neither extinguished nor diminished, even when it is divided and spread." That, really, is the one message that ought to come through to us loudly and clearly, whether we're celebrating the Christ-Mass, or the Paschal Feast-that the Light of Christ-the True Light that came into the world with Jesus' birth, and that continues to enlighten us today-will never go out! Will not be diminished in us, even when we share that Light, with others. Because the fact is, the more we share it with others, the brighter it will burn in the world, and in us. Because this True Light, is not just for us, just as it wasn't just for John the Baptizer, or St. John the Evangelist. Rather, we are all, simply witnesses to the light. We are called, ourselves, to testify to the Light, to witness to the fact that this Light has come, and shines, even now, in the darkness. Because just as we need the True Light-God knows, there are many others, who, even now, even this Christmas morning, are struggling with the darkness of sin, despair, illness and death, and so, are straining to see the Light. And we are to bear the Light, to them. That is our response to the Light, and our calling, as servants of the Light. To share the good news, that the Light has come-and the Light shines in the darkness-and the darkness can never, ever overcome it! So perhaps the sending on Christmas morning should be, not just, "Go in peace, serve the Lord"-but, "Go in peace, serve the Light!" "Go in peace, share the Light-the True Light-the Light of Christ!"

     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.