Light and Darkness: Weekly Message for 07-18-2023

Dear Friends,

Here in North America where I live, we are experiencing the long days of summer where the sun rises before 6:00 am and sets late into the evening. Experts will tell you the well-being of the human person—body, mind, and spirit—is directly impacted by exposure to natural light. We feel healthier, more energetic. We are more joyful, more balanced. It seems these parts of our selves are in better order. In winter, when darkness prevails sixteen hours a day, we are more subdued. We look to sleep more, and acedia can seep in. The darkness weighs on us. And here lies the theme of this week’s letter. 

In Genesis chapter one we read about the first day of Creation:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”

As we continue to read the Creation account, we learn that God created the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day. I pose to you the same question my biblical professor posed to our class, “Where did the light come from before God created the sun, moon and stars?”  His answer, “God himself is light.” God by his word brought order to the formless abyss and separated the darkness by his very presence. 

Fast forward to the beginning of John’s Gospel:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

In the beginning of Creation, God’s light separated the darkness and the land from the sea. He created order. Jesus is the word made flesh and in his own words proclaims he “is the light of the world”. He came to restore order to a people covered by the darkness of sin. We as baptized Christians carry this light within us. We are living tabernacles, “Beacons set on a hill”.

The cloak of darkness and sin hover over the earth; it may tempt us to despair, but we must always remember we are the light of the world (Mt. 5:3). We are called to shine in the darkness to restore order between good and evil, and the darkness has no power to overcome us. 

In the book of Revelation, we read about those who are found worthy to approach the throne of God, “They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever (Rev. 22:4-5).

We are children of light. Let your light shine before all so the good that you do brings Glory to God. 

Yours in the Heart of Jesus,

Donna