“When they saw the Star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.” Matthew 2:10
On December 21st, Jupiter and Saturn aligned to form the Christmas Star. It was a once in many lifetimes’ occurrence. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy evening here in Andover but the pictures that I have seen from other areas are breath taking. I feel hope when I saw those images. Hope for our world, hope for healing, hope for our society, and hope for the future.
On Christmas day, like many other families, we gathered with my mom and siblings on Zoom. My nephew, who had just brought home his newborn son on Christmas Eve after the little one spent 20 days in the NICU, was able to join us. To be able to see the newest addition to our family and his brother and sisters show off their little brother, their presents from Santa, and give love and kisses to their parents and grandparents, brought joy to all. Seeing these little ones so joyous and not minding that we were not all together physically, gave me hope.
The progress that has been made towards ending the pandemic by the development and distribution of vaccines gives me hope that our world can begin healing. We need healing in so many ways but to get a vaccine to hopefully start to end this pandemic brings me hope.
“Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment.”-Napoléon Bonaparte
Please understand, I am not looking at this world through rose colored glasses. This world has many problems. The pandemic and it is ever-changing dynamic. The political polarization, extremists, racism, sexism, hunger, unemployment, many illnesses, and all the other issues causing chaos will go on. As long as this world continues to rotate and there is a start of a new day, there will be problems but there will also be hope. I do believe that hope will always be a blessing and a way to cope with discord.
Just as the Magi followed the star to the baby Jesus for Epiphany, the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter come together to form the Christmas Star, the season of Christmas, and the beginning of a new year all give us HOPE. Hope for our world, our nation, and ourselves. I carry hope in my heart for everyone and pray that you can too.
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul-and sings the tunes without words-and never stops at all.”-Emily Dickinson
