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BY TOM CONNAR

One of the hottest tickets at the movie box office this past Christmas was 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.' This beautiful film captivated audiences with its themes of love, sacrifice and resurrection.

Yes, this film, based on one of seven fantasy stories for young readers written by C.S. Lewis, is filled with Christian symbolism.

Lewis, an adult convert to Christianity, wrote these stories not so much for their allegorical effect as for their anagogical effect.

The difference? Allegory means to describe one thing using the image of another. 'She ran like the wind' is one example. Anagogy means to reveal hidden spiritual meanings. Clearly, 'Narnia' is chock-full of the latter.

In the story, the main characters, four children sent to the English countryside to escape the Nazi bombing of London during WWII, stumble into Narnia through a magical wardrobe.

When the audience meets Narnia it learns that it has been locked in winter for a long time. In fact, Narnia has experienced 100 years of winter and snow. Worst of all, there has been no Christmas.

Many people this time of year experience a winter that would parallel Narnia: general depression, 'the blues,' Seasonal Affective Disorder, grumpiness, loss of interest, decreased energy.

In addition, over the holidays, many people experience relationship issues either from having just returned from visiting family far away or experiencing the stress and strain that comes with expectations from work, family, friends and self.

To say nothing of your relationship with God. Remember, for many people, Christmas is one of two times that they go to church in a year. Perhaps that visit on Dec. 24 or 25 caused them to reconsider their faith, to examine their priorities and set in motion a new plan of action. Change always involves stress.

When we are hurt, we tend to follow one of two paths: either we withdraw or we attack. Experts refer to this as the 'fight or flight' reflex.

While I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist, I have seen the difference between the two reactions. What I?m offering today is a reminder that God is in control and walks beside us as we confront our own winters.

Remember the lamppost in Narnia? That?s a reminder to seek the light; an aid to help us find our way home, back to God. The lamppost can represent a centering point for God?s presence in the midst of bleak surroundings.

Remember Father Christmas? In the story, Father Christmas is more like St. Nicholas than today?s commercialized Santa Claus; he brought a reminder of the true meaning and hope of Christmas.

Remember Aslan the lion? I think he represents the powerful and sacrificial presence of God in our lives during challenging times.

Seek the Light. We have hope and joy. God is present with us. All these are powerful reminders in our times of winter that we have a God who gbwc_superuseres us, forgives us, accepts us, loves us. Transforms us.

As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, 'When anyone is joined to Christ, they are a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends, too.'

Yes, the winters of our lives come and they go. They can even arrive in the middle of July and the heat of August. But God is in loving control and, with God, we can move beyond the winters of despair.

The Rev. Tom Connar is senior pastor of Mt. Zion UMC in Highland. This commentary is excerpted from a sermon series he preached in January, based on 'The Chronicles of Narnia.'