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Its origin lies somewhere in the 5th century. It was then a part of the evening prayer office of Vespers and the late-night office of Compline. Thomas Cranmer included it in Evening prayer when he produced the first English Prayer Book in 1549. It's meaning is rooted in the Biblical image of light contrasting darkness and it is prayed as dusk falls when the darkness brings its dangers both spiritual and physical. It is one of the prayers of protection used by the Church as the world moves into night from the day.
Our own perils and dangers are somewhat different from those of earlier times though the physical challenges of night are undiminished. It is said that the darkest hours of the night are between 2 and 3am. This is when the body temperature is at its lowest and those sleeping rough on our streets are at their most vulnerable.
In our world today we have been given some pointers this week to the darkness engulfing our vulnerable society. Our Government has revised downwards the forecast for economic recovery and Mammon has once again been found wanting. The Crisis over the Euro drags on and ever downwards. Syria continues to violate human rights despite international protest and Iran is flexing very dangerous muscles. The Economist magazine is predicting a return to recession. On our streets, ordinary men and women working in the public sector have marched in protest of what they see as an erosion of their future pension expectations. This is a worry that many others share. head teachers who have never been on strike for 141 years joined ordinary dinner ladies. These were not your usual suspects. These were ordinary, rather anxious people. Jeremy Clarkson wants them all shot. Let us hope that others may take them more seriously. Mr Clarkson is a noted buffoon and needn't be taken seriously at all.
In this darkening age, our Christmas Tree Festival offers a symbol of light penetrating darkness - a reminder of the Prologue of St John's Gospel. As Christmas draws near we are reminded that there is a way of life which values people as God's children for whom he came in human form to lead us to the light of his Love. it is time for Christian to love the world and its pains from darkness to light. Our fragile world needs the light of God's love. We are God's Christmas lights set in the world to shine with that love, especially in the world's vulnerable and most painful places.
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