The winter solstice occurs at 11:48 EST tonight, 21 December 2015. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this is when winter begins (although, from a meteorological perspective it began around late November or early December). This is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. For those who get tired of dark and short days and long evenings, this is a wonderfully hopeful turning point. As of December 22 we can watch and measure the days grow longer. The times for sunrise and sunset start to shift. When I think of it, I check out the shifting times, to get a glimmer of hope during a season that I find too long. Some people love winter. I'm afraid that I'm one of those who tolerate it.
People around the world celebrate the solstice in varying ways. Stonehenge in England is generally the most notable location. Our so-called Christian traditions around Christmas – the Christmas Tree, the Christmas Wreath, the Yule Log – are direct descendants of the Yule practices of the pagan Scandinavian and Germanic peoples of Northern Europe.
How's a Christian supposed to celebrate the solstice? I spent several years working with Jesuit novices in Saint Paul, MN. That particular Jesuit Novitiate had a custom that originated with one of my predecessors. It was known as Holy Darkness. I don't recall all the specifics of that evening. However, the basic idea was that we would gather in the Chapel for prayer and spiritual conversation. All of the electric lights in the house were turned off. After leaving the Chapel, we gathered for a meal and usually played board games. The lights remained off during this entire time. We used candlelight. The evening ended and people went to their rooms by candlelight. It was only the next morning that we returned to the use of electric lights. I always think of those evenings as a strong experience of community.
Perhaps we need reminders such as this in our culture. We become reliant on unnatural lighting to extend our working hours. How can we practice our own kind of Holy Darkness? Do we do something as a family? Do we discipline ourselves to allow the various screens to go blank – the smart phones, the tablets, the laptops, the desktops, or the television? This could be challenging for an hour, let alone an entire evening. I saw a posting on Facebook recently that showed a sign from a coffee shop. It said something like this: "No, we don't have wifi. Pretend it's 1985 and speak to each other."
Turning off our devices is quite challenging. There are times when we don't have to be disciplined, because darkness is forced upon us. Remember the famous blackout of August 2003? I can't forget it because I was scheduled for major surgery a few days later. I became anxious about what would happen if the lights went out in the OR.
Remember snowstorms, windstorms or electrical storms that have plunged you into darkness. There are certainly major inconveniences and struggles for many people. No sensible person looks for the power to go out. But for many of us, that enforced darkness becomes an occasion for closer bonds with family, community, neighbours and even strangers. There are statistics about the number of babies who are conceived at those times. Something magical can come over people when the lights go out. It may require a change in perspective, but can we allow times of physical or spiritual darkness to be made Holy? Let’s give it a try as we acknowledge the solstice.