The Tenth Day of Christmas

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

- John 1:9 (NRSV)

According to the English Christmas carol, ten lords a-leaping are the focus for this Tenth Day of Christmas – after yesterday’s nine ladies dancing and before tomorrow’s eleven pipers piping.

According to most retail practices, stores have already put away their Christmas ornaments, and online catalogues switched to Valentine’s Day graphics at 12:01 January 2 (as in, yesterday).

According to most school calendars, kids and teachers are getting ready to go back to school (though as I write this reflection during the rise of Omicron, I don’t know if that means on-line or on-site). I also don’t know if, by this Tenth Day of Christmas, the number of cases will have levelled off. I also don’t know and can’t predict what the death count will be.

What I do know is that, on this Tenth Day of Christmas, the Gospel of John affirms the power of God’s word from the very beginning and that, for John, the Word was life and the life was the light of all people. I know that John speaks of light six times in six verses.

Most of all, I know that today’s reading promises that the Light still shines and that all the shadows of this world have never overcome it.

Prayer

O God, help us trust your promise on this Tenth Day of Christmas and all the days to come. Amen.