God’s light was born among us in darkness, Bethlehem’s star pointing to the Light of the World entering our broken world. Once again the clouds of darkness – the economic, moral, political and societal clouds of darkness – overshadow us. Who among the peoples of our world is not now gripped in worry, fear and loss in the worldwide collapse of jobs and loss of security in their future lives and the lives of their children?

As Christians, we once again need to see things in God’s light. God did not make us to compete; he made us to belong. If we honestly look into our hearts we can recognize that our basic need is to belong, to live in solidarity, to care not only for ourselves but to care for others. It is love that moves us, not the competitive drive to win at all costs.

The Three Kings representing the rulers and power elite of this world laid their treasures at the feet of the One who was born among us to bring God’s presence, power, and love into our darkened world. Following a light infinitely greater than the lights of this world, they came – filled with hope – to put themselves into relationship with the King who would rule our hearts, not our quests for power.

What brings about growth in us is not our investments in the stock market. Growth is found in our investments of love and care for others. We grow and prosper in our relationships with others, in solidarity with them. Our securities are found in our belonging, in our belonging to our families, to our friends, and to our families of faith. Each one of us has the opportunity, especially in today’s circumstances, to make a difference in the lives of those around us, to influence them with the vision and the light of the One who came to give us light, hope and a vision of what can be in our future.

God’s Light born among us reveals his investment in us, an investment that brought his Son to Calvary. The payoff for us was Christ’s resurrection, his resurrection from the darkness of his tomb into the freedom of a new and higher life, a life that he now shares with us. Love always seeks to share, not to compete. Love brings hope.

This is the time of Epiphany, a time of revelation. May you and I bring a revelation of God’s light, vision, hope, and love to those around us so that Christ may once more be born into our lives and the lives of those around us.

Join the Magi and bring the magic of love to those around you, especially those who live in the darkness of depression, material as well as spiritual.