2025 December 24

“Light and Life”

Christmas Eve

2025 December 24th

“In Jesus Christ was life, and the life was the light of all people.”

~ John 1:4

Beloved,

There is something about life that longs for light. There, too, is something about light that points to the presence of life. Light finds its true purpose in life.  Life and light are intrinsically linked. We first hear of the advent of light in the story of creation: “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light;” (Genesis 1:3) and again, in the story of the Incarnation, celebrated at Christmas:“In him was life, and the life was the light of all people.” (John 1:4)

Together, life and light unveil the truth of what is life-giving. They fulfill our deep hunger and thirst for love. Like life and light, the incarnation reflects God’s desire to love and humanity’s yearning for love.

The light and life of the incarnation transcend the brightness of the star; they eclipse the songs sung by the angels. They go beyond our travels to places and people who are dear to us. The birth of Jesus Christ, the light and life of the world, embodies redeeming love, making Christmas a work of love:

To free the oppressed,

To bind up the broken-hearted,

To release the prisoners,

This is the work of love.

To comfort the sorrowful,

To rebuild devastated communities

To love justice,

This is the work of love.

To reject wrongdoing,

To be a vessel of peace,

To lift the lives of the despairing with joy,

This, too, is the redeeming work of love.

May the light of the incarnation, God’s redeeming work of love, lead us to worship. May it encourage us to nurture the work of love that is within us. May it awaken hope and compel us towards the life of love. May the light and life of Jesus Christ awaken us with hope and courage that compel us toward the works of love.

With Christmastide blessings, I am,

Faithfully in Christ,

The Right Reverend John T.W. Harmon

Bishop of Arkansas