Shooting stars always thrill me, much like seeing dolphins play in the surf, or catching a glimpse of a perfect rainbow. It’s like they represent a connecting point between me – standing on a fixed piece of terra firma – and whatever lies “beyond.” As if, rather than a chunk of space debris burning up as if falls into Earth’s atmosphere, the trace of light in the sky is a magical talisman that has broken into time and space from eternity, or some other world.
WHAT IS A STAR? According to the dictionary, a star is defined as “a fixed luminous point in the night sky that is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.” A star is also, “a famous or exceptionally talented performer in the world of entertainment or sports.”
During Advent – these four weeks of preparation and expectation, leading up to Christmas – the star is one of our most prominent and enduring symbols. Probably one of the top three:
- Everything revolves around the Nativity;
- it’s tough to tell the story without angels;
- and there’s absolutely gotta be a star.
In our house, of course, there are quite a few.
One of my favorite Bible passages takes the star ideal and applies it to our day-to-day lives as people of faith. If we are wise, like the Magi, then we too will follow the star and pay our homage to Jesus; and – if we are also faithful – we are called to “shine like stars in the sky.”
Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. – Philippians 2:15-16
We are called to live faith out loud, but not in an obnoxious “shine the flashlight in someone’s face” manner. Instead, we are called to simply hold firmly – to hold fast – to the word of life. Then, in so doing, we will shine like stars.
Stars are not floodlights, but they do illuminate the path; stars don’t blaze the way, they point the way; stars are the map, and they shed enough light, but not so much light that the world around becomes impossible to see.
When I see the stars around our home during Advent, I am reminded to follow them to the manger; and I am also invited to be a star, and to shine with integrity in a world that knows too much of darkness and not enough about the word of life.
Peace – DEREK
Below – gallery of Advent images, and links to the corresponding posts:
