Follow that star!

Tony and Jane invited me recently to call on them at home. They were planning a family trip to Rome next year and thought I might offer a guiding thought or two. I set off to walk to their home, and on this cold December day climbed up Station Road, passing the familiar collection of hairdressers, take-aways, tattoo-studios and convenience stores.

Christmas lights were shining desultorily around the Christmas trees perched above the doorways. And then I chanced to pass Samantha`s tanning parlour. Samantha is a cheerful occasional parishioner; she sometimes comes to Mass when persuaded by her grannie. We get along fine. She waved energetically as I was passing. I thought she wanted to try again to get me to stand in her exotic tanning machine - for free. I’ve resisted in the past fearing `negative publicity`. No! This time Samantha wanted me to accept a free voucher for three minutes rotating-tanning, to add to the parish Christmas Raffle prizes. I declined, envisaging some of my more sedate and matronly parishioners twirling before the tubes. Putting these unwelcome imaginations aside, I moved swiftly on.

Arriving at Tony and Jane`s I couldn`t help but notice the SAD lamp on the living-room table. They explained that on these cold and dark winter days - days of Seasonal Affective Disorder - in the Dark Peak, they sat before the lamp and absorbed refreshing light - courtesy of John Lewis, and lots of money.

Again I declined their generous offer of an `enlightening` experience. But these illuminating curiosities got me thinking.

On December 21st we passed through winter solstice, the shortest day in the year. Now we`re on our way again to spring and summer. But it is still the darkest time of the year. Pagans have a festival of Light, called `Yule` during these days; our Jewish friends celebrate Hannukah, the festival of Lights, from the 22nd; even the Romans celebrated `Sol Invicta` - on the 25th December. I suppose any month would have served to celebrate this Divine infant-birth. But it's no surprise that the birth of Christ the Light of the World is celebrated at this dark turning-point in the year. His light begins to grew in our hearts the moment we come in from the dark and stand with the shepherds and Magi and adore.

Tanning parlours doubtless have their place; but not for me! SAD lamps may help briefly dissipate the gloom; but not for me. And certainly not at this glorious time of the year. I’m content to `follow that Star` and bask not in a weak and transitory approximation of the Sun, but in the radiance of the new-born Son of God. Happy Christmas!
 
Canon Don Bowdren
Diocesan Director APF, SPA
Nottingham