All hail winter solstice–the longest night pierced by the greatest light. To me, this is truly the most magical day of the year, for to find our way out of such looming darkness we must summon extraordinary power. Miracles, in fact. Early Christians decided to celebrate Jesus’ birthday this time of year not just to override the pagans (blergh) but because they recognized that we must be most pregnant with faith when the sunlight is at its sparses, when the earth its most barren. This is the faith that creates nothing from something–that grants Mary her immaculate birth, that keeps the oil burning for eight days for the Maccabees. It is the same faith that reminds us love can subsume even the worst of black holes. Here, at this turning point of the year and of our country, on this hardest and holiest of days, we are in dire need of such faith. We must listen, we must light, and we must love. All my heart to each of yours.