The Lantern on the Hill

“Welcome to you. We are in Day 19 of Advent,
and this is Tiny Advent Parables with Fr. Dominic —
where light finds us even in the quietest darkness.”

“Today’s story begins on a cold winter night…
with a lantern glowing alone on a hill.”

“A small town lost electricity one winter evening.
Houses stood in darkness,
streets silent,
windows empty.
A teenager walking home noticed a faint glow
from the top of a nearby hill.
Curious, he climbed up
and discovered a single lantern
placed on a wooden post—
lit by an old farmer
so travelers wouldn’t lose their way.
The boy said,
‘But it’s just one lantern…
it can’t light the whole town.’
The farmer smiled,
‘It doesn’t have to.
It just needs to light enough
so someone knows where they’re going.’
And on that night,
people found their way home
because one man refused to let darkness win.”

“Advent reminds us
that even the smallest light
is stronger than the deepest night.
You may feel like your hope is small,
your faith dim,
your strength barely flickering —
but in God’s hands,
even a single lantern
can guide many.
Christ comes as Light
not to remove all darkness at once,
but to give you enough light
for the next step,
the next choice,
the next prayer.
Darkness is real.
But Light has already come.
And Light always wins.”

“So today ask:
‘Where is God asking me to be a small light?’
Let your heart shine — even faintly.
Whisper:
‘Lord, be my light…
and make me light for others.’”