An Eternal Light for Our Worldly Darkness

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
—Isaiah 9:2

How appropriate it is that we have our joyous Sunday of light, Gaudete Sunday. Purple vestments are put aside for rose colored ones.

We are in our darkest period of the year, and light springs forth.

Our personal darkness, our doubts, our fears, are put aside to affirm that, we who have walked in darkness, have, indeed, seen a great light.

There are the examples of light leading the way in darkness, hopelessness, and danger. The founder of what is St. Benedict’s Abbey, Father Henry Lemke, in his moment of fear, in the middle of a storm, was guided by a light in a cabin, a light which had been lit by a young girl was related her visit with “a lady”, our Blessed Mother, who instructed her to light a candle in a window. That guiding light saved Father Lemke.

All things temporal that trouble us have a light to guide us to peace and comfort. The outcome of whatever is our issue may not be resolved, but there is the promise of hope, the knowledge that the coming Christ is the answer to our hopes, our fears, our personal darkness.

Come, Lord Jesus. We look for your light to guide us.

Image: Jeff P Flickr