Season of Advent

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

A Palestinian professor finds ways to help students engage in the difficult topic of the Holocaust. 

 

A rabbi opens his heart to meet Arabs and understand Palestinians’ history. 

 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

A Palestinian draws from his pain to work nonviolently for peace and reconciliation. 

 

Israeli women assist Palestinians navigating harsh checkpoints, while looking for ways to end the occupation itself.

 

Palestinian and Israeli peace-builders challenge their respective sides to see both the potential and the limitations of dialogue. 

 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

An Israeli offers his vote to a Palestinian Jerusalemite who does not have one. 

 

That same Palestinian, who lost his brother in the conflict, co-founds a tour company that challenges visitors to hear from both sides, and from a wide range of viewpoints. 

 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

Jewish Israelis counter “price tag” attacks with “light tag” support for victims.

 

A Palestinian citizen of Israel explores the strengths of his complex identity, and its potential as a bridge between Jews and Arabs.

 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

A group of rabbis leads Israelis to accompany Palestinians whose olive harvests are threatened by extremists or lack of access. 

 

A Palestinian returns a soldier safely to his unit who left him behind (following a raid on a Palestinian community!) 

 

A tireless Israeli advocate for justice presses on despite being physically attacked.

 

A Palestinian bishop reminds us this Christmas that “peace based on justice is possible for Israel and for Palestine” and calls us to pray for the whole region, and the church we accompany here presses on nurturing faith and educating children.  

 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

Every day I begin here by reading the local news from multiple sources to help with assessing the security situation. Most every day I open to a litany of stories of pain and suffering, often accompanied by racist comments below them. On Christmas day, I will do the same thing, and very likely will see something similar to the other days. But I will not do that without also remembering stories like the ones posted above.

 

To say “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” is not the same as saying the darkness is no more. Love is not born into a world made whole. Love is born into a broken world, and it shines on brightly in spite of it, denying victory to hatred. I believe this message. But I also can see it. And however many there may be here who have let the darkness overcome their hearts and minds, those guided by love and hope here are still here too, and shine on brightly in the midst of the darkness.

 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

 

I am so thankful for the message of Christmas. Whatever darkness you are facing this Christmas eve, I hope that you too find stories of light.

 

-Jeff