Advent Day 7: Memory & Mercy

(Theme: Peace — “The Ghost of Christmas Past”)

In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Past arrives to take Scrooge on a journey backward — through the long-forgotten corridors of his own life. The Spirit declares, “I am the Ghost of Christmas Past.” He beckons Scrooge to rise and walk with him, and in doing so, forces him to confront what he has long suppressed. Dickens describes the Spirit’s light — that strange, flickering flame from the top of its head — as if it might be “extinguished” by Scrooge, who even tries to snuff it out with its cap. But the light persists.

That small but significant image tells the truth about us all: the light of truth and mercy cannot be extinguished, even by our denial. The Spirit shines light on the memories Scrooge would rather keep hidden — his lonely boyhood, the warmth of Fezziwig’s generosity, and the heartbreak of losing Belle to his love of gold. Each scene cuts deep, but the purpose is not to condemn Scrooge; it is to redeem him. Memory, painful as it is, becomes the doorway to mercy.

In much the same way, the Spirit of God illuminates our past — not to shame us, but to heal us. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord said, “Come now, let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). The Holy Spirit invites us to walk back through our own yesterdays — to acknowledge the moments of selfishness, neglect, or pride — and to see them not as tombstones of failure, but as testimonies of grace.

Scrooge’s journey with the Ghost of Christmas Past reminds us that peace does not come from forgetting, but from remembering rightly — remembering through the lens of mercy. When we allow the Lord to shine His light into our past, He transforms regret into redemption and shame into song. The psalmist writes, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

As the Advent season continues, let the light of Christ search your heart. Do not fear the gentle hand of the Spirit who leads you through memory’s door. What past hurt or failure might He want to heal this year? What regret might He be ready to redeem?

When Scrooge finally yields, Dickens tells us that he “wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be.” In those tears, peace begins to take root — the peace that comes when mercy meets memory.

This week, we light the candle of Peace, remembering that Christ, the Light of the World, shines into every dark corner of our story. The past no longer holds us captive when it is held in the hands of a merciful Savior.

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” — John 1:9

 

Let His light shine. Let His mercy heal. And let His peace reign.