Luke 1:78-79  ⁷⁸ By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,  ⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

We live in scary times, it’s true, but if we really think about it we have always lived in scary times. In each age, there have been those who live to hurt others, who cause discord, who disrupt society, and bring danger and violence into our homes, our neighborhoods, our cities, our country, and our world.

We can respond to these people in a variety of ways. We can respond in fear, becoming frozen and unable to cope. If we respond this way, they have won. We can respond in anger, fighting back with the same violence perpetrated against us. If we respond this way, they have won.

Or we can respond in love and faith. We can reach out to others who are hurting; we can forgive those who would try to hurt us; we can pray for them and all those who have been affected by their violence. We can love. We can trust that God is in control and work for peace. If we respond in this way, their power is diffused, their violence is conquered; they lose their ability to disrupt.

It is only through the mercy of our God that we can respond this way. God will give us the strength to endure, the compassion to forgive, and the will to be brave in the midst of scary times. We need only put our trust in our God who loves us and the world.

O Lord, we are often afraid. Bring your light into this darkness and guide our feet into the way of peace. Amen.