TREE OF LIGHT CEREMONY

Waking up on Friday morning 6th December 2024 I was thinking of this year’s Tree Of Light Ceremony, wondering how Storm Darragh might play out. I read through the words our Town’s Mayor, Cllr Dawn Clark would later read.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and over-burdened,
and I will give you rest! Let me carry your pain and learn from me how to love life once again. For I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” A time will come when every tear will be wiped away from our eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the old order of things will pass away.”

Storm Darragh won out and the Tree Of Light Ceremony 2024 was cancelled. Sadly, we didn’t get the chance to stand together around the tree filled with stars that many of us had scribbled the name of a departed loved one on. We didn’t get to light the Memory Candle and reflect on the lives that have touched and change ours.

Let me share two encouragements from the words the Mayor would have read, had we gone ahead with our 2024 Ceremony – words taken from the books of Matthew and Revelation.

There is a long-held belief that in Jesus’ offer to carry our pain is an echo of his understanding that we all need someone who cares about us – lightens our load.

There is a wonderful line in the Matthew translation of the reading- ‘Let me carry your pain and learn from me how to love life once again’.

Jesus’ words point to the probability, however remote or elusive it may seem, that we will one day rediscover the joy and love of life.

We gather at the Tree Of Light in Crewe Cemetery each year on our journey of having carried the pain of loss, it can be like a load on our shoulders. In some way knowing, loving and then, losing someone can take our love of life away. I wonder if one or two of us need, or could do with, learning to love life again? Perhaps we have been the someone who cared and now need someone to care for us, to carry our load?

That second encouragement in the reading is that a time will come, and for those now in the mystery beyond our sight, has come – when no pain or tears, or sorrow or anguish will exist. Maybe knowing that they, for whom we cared, continue at peace, helps us to learn to love life again…

During the Covid epidemic we all learned to gather in small groups or take a moment to be by ourselves. I’m sad that Storm Darragh stopped us meeting as a wider community to remember those who have entered the mystery beyond our sight. Yet I know that when the eye of the storm has passed over Crewe and throughout Christmas time there will be opportunities to press the pause button and wander by the Tree of Light for private reflection.

Might you know the blessing and kindness of family and friends at this special time of year.

Rob