Pandemic darkness hasn’t overtaken the light of Jesus

Often in pictures, the old year is represented by an old looking man or a woman holding an hourglass.

They symbolize that time has passed and they have grown old. Conversely, the New Year is often represented as a newborn baby. We all tend to think a newborn is innocent and has not been tainted by the world.

As we begin 2022, many of us still feel like the old person represented in the pictures. We were once young and vigorous and now we are tired and wrinkled with our head drooped.

Some days I feel old and tired.

As the Psalmist reminds us, “Teach us how short our life is, so that we may become wise.” Psalm 90:12

I was recently reminded of the fact that I was not a “spring chicken” any more on two occasions.

One was when my cousin sent me a couple pictures of me holding our son as a newborn baby. My hair was full and my beard was brown. That was over 40 years ago.

The second one was a message from a high school classmate seeking information to be included in our 50^th anniversary publication.

It reminded me that I was a mere 17 years old when I graduated from Bastrop High School in Bastrop, Louisiana.

At that time, it was my hopes and ambitions of becoming a print journalist, and I enrolled in Northeast Louisiana University majoring in journalism and minoring in early American history.

Sometimes, we are asked if “you could re-live your life, would you change anything?”

Reflecting back, I’d not change anything.

Most of us would not because it is all of the life events that shape us into who we are today — both the good and the hard experiences of life.

But on second thought, in my sophomore summer the Thomas Nelson Pulsing Company came on campus promising us we’d make a fortune if we’d come to Nashville and learn to sell their Bible and their books. I went, and after training, I was sent to Austin, Texas.

I learned a valuable lesson after about a month that summer.

I was not cut out to be a door to door salesman and almost starved to death.

After about a month, I returned to Northeast Louisiana University and enrolled in summer classes.

It was during that summer I became a youth pastor at my local church and felt the call to go into ministry. At first I resisted and tried to pursue a career as a religion writer. After graduation, I enrolled in seminary and I still had hopes to focusing on the new fledging career of becoming a religious broadcaster in radio or television.

But God had other plans. I was offered a church to serve as its pastor. While serving the church, I met my wife and as they say, the rest is HIS-tory.

We’d all agree that the past two years have aged and shaped us all more than we wish to think.

While in seminary, they never prepared us to do ministry in a pandemic.

The challenges have been hard, but God has showed us all how to rethink ministry. We look forward to the possibilities of the New Year and that in 2022 the pandemic will finally be under control and we will be able to get back to a normality in our life.

We continue to pray for all the people who have been affected by COVID-19 and the healthcare workers in our community.

Even for people of faith, it has been hard to continue to, as some would say, “hope against hope” that brighter days are ahead.

Long before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah told his people “arise, shine for your light has come into the world.”

During the Christmas season in our tradition, we lighted the Advent Wreath and saw the light increase each week around the circle. The circle also represented the unending love and light of God in the world. Thus as we begin 2022 we are charged as followers of Jesus to carry the light into the world.

The writer of John’s gospel said the people saw the light, but they rejected the light because they enjoyed being a part of the world. But, then John adds the darkness did not overtake the light and the light still shines. If we use the analogy of the pandemic, yes its darkness did try to take over the world. It did try to snuff it out. But the light, the hope kept shining and it has not overtaken it.

I’m the first to admit that, yes, it has been hard to continue to wear a mask, use hand sanitizer and do the things that keep me and my wife safe. It has been hard to be my brother and sister’s keeper when they chose not to do what I feel was in line with the scriptures.

But we must.

Why?

We are called to love and respect one another by Jesus.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God.” 1 John 4:7

“‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.”

Rev. Frank Chlastak began work as senior minister of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Poplar Bluff on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015.