Dear St. Paul’s Family,
Allow me to give you a glimpse into one of the quirky aspects of my childhood.
I grew up with what my parents claimed was a traditionally Filipino observance of the New Year. “Every light must be on,” they said. So with minutes before midnight on December 31, my brothers and I would race around the house, frantically turning on every light we could find – without exception. The chandelier, ceiling fan lights, Disney nightlight, aquarium hood, oven light, outdoor spotlight, and even the refrigerator and microwave doors gave way to our frantic, anti-environmental rampage. Then, with seconds before the big moment, my mom would shove coins into our pockets and dollar bills into our hands. At the precise instant that the big apple on the television hit the Times Square crowd, we would leap as high as we could into the air. It was an annual occasion: New Year’s Eve, courtesy of Dick Clark and the deVega’s.
I wonder in retrospect how many things my parents got us to do by convincing us that it was “Filipino tradition.” I have entertained the notion that at 12:01 they winked at each other with a knowing smirk: “Looks like we got them again. Next year let’s see if they’ll sing Auld Lang Syne with Spam in their mouths.”
They claimed that having money in your hands and pockets was a sign of prosperity for the year to come. Jumping high into the air would bring the promise of growth and health. And the lights? It was the symbol of joy and peace vanquishing the darkness from you and your family for the next year.
Whether or not this is a cultural tradition, I still find the practice endearing, partly because the image of light has solid biblical footing. After all, the gospel writers are captivated by it this time of year. In the wake of a baby born under the gaze of angelic star light, we are reminded:
‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’
“And Jesus was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.”
“In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
This Sunday is Epiphany Sunday, in which we usher in the new year by welcoming the new light of Christ into our lives. Just as the magi were led to Christ by following a star, we are called to follow the light of Jesus into the days and months to come. There is no guarantee, of course, that 2009 will be any better or any worse than the year we leave behind, just as I can’t prove that pocketed coins and mid-air leaps will bring prosperity and health. But there is this biblical assurance:
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
(Isaiah 60:1)
May we remember that whatever we face in the coming year, we will be accompanied by the guiding, ever-present, and illuminating light of Christ.
Happy New Year!
Magrey
The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org
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