Light Piecing the Darkness

Human reality, we know from experience, trains us to take things as they come. Clearly, the tough and (if we are fortunate) the lovely take hold of us intermittently all the time. The brilliant tradition of AA teaches us to take life “One Day at a time”. Consider also two phrases from these films—the lighter is from Forest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.” The more ominous declaration is from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: “You never know what’s coming for you.” Our culture dresses Christmas up so it can be, however fleetingly “The most wonderful time of the year.” Savory and sweet, colorful and bright, aromatic and candle-lit, Christmas really is pretty wonderful. Still, we know, life as a whole is chiaroscuro.

We know the things of the light exist in the world alongside things of the dark. The beautiful and the ugly have parts on the stage of this play of human existence unceasingly while ages run. It is not until our hope, the coming of the age of ages, that we expect victory in full fruition. In the meantime, we hold up the candle of light we are given within the dark that surrounds us. The light always penetrates darkness, no matter how small the flame. The week after Christmas weaves this contrast for us. On an emotional level, after the glorious worship of Christmas Eve, after the gifts are open and the pretty paper is gathered into bags, our emotions can do some dipping, climbing, and yet more dipping.

This is liturgically expressed as well. Christmas Day is followed by the feasts of two passionate saints who faced persecution, and solemn remembrance of innocents swept away by tyranny. December 26th, 27th, and 28th—should we ever pay attention in the face of distraction—teach much about the power of light in the midst of darkness. The Christmas story itself is set in very harsh oppression by Rome. Caesar said jump and all had better be jumping. The emperor said, “Get registered in your original region!” and all had better get there and do it. Never mind if one is great-with-child; Joseph and Mary made it to Bethlehem and managed the best they could. The birth is the greatest light in the midst of great human darkness. The shepherds caught on to this with help from creatures beyond their dreams. Sages discovered it through the star, bright beyond their imagining. They encountered, in both cases, light against the backdrop of night-sky darkness.

The Holy Days liturgical calendar guiding us, the day after Christmas bounces us to another decade: the time after Jesus has ascended and the Apostles are busy spreading the word of Christ’s victory over death. The work is so intense the Apostles choose seven servants, deaconos, to assist with the ministry. Stephen is one of these magnificent seven. In my last entry, I brought attention to hold up this young, extraordinary deacon. The Apostles had laid hands on him and the others; after their commissioning, Stephen fell into the hands of angry opponents. The light in his word, and in his love for the people to whom Jesus called him to preach, meet up with the darkness of the world when they stone him to death. Look at the word he proclaimed, the compassion in his praying that his persecutors will know forgiveness, and his vision of Jesus standing at God’s right hand in glory, all live on to speak to us.

Let’s play a holiday game. I will give you some words and phrases; you make the correct association to the writer in the New Testament. Light; Lamb upon the throne; life; if you believe; The Alpha and the Omega; Word; Nathaniel; walk in the truth;…for God is love.  I know you know; if you guessed John you win. If you did not guess John, you still win, because you have great spiritual riches ahead to discover. Email Fr. Bates right away and let him know, you are hungry to dive into the Word of God.

The concepts of divine life, truth, light, and love fly from the pages to your soul as you read John.  He gave us a wholly unique Gospel among the four. He gave not one but three letters, and the apocalyptic vision, Revelation. Tradition has it, Saint John, the Apostle who gave us so much treasure in scripture was not killed in persecution, but instead was exiled to the island of Patmos. In his banishment, the evil of persecution might have snuffed out the light he wanted to bring to the cause of Christ. You see what happened instead. This was not a writers’ retreat, Patmos was where he was held to thwart his freedom. Banishment did not accomplish that. John who preserved Jesus’s promise, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Against the backdrop of oppression, the light of Christ shines.

When you see a baby, you are beholding one of the beautiful ways light comes to this world. When you learn of tyrannical cruelty, you feel the effect of darkness in the world. The Gospel of Matthew records a time when King Herod erupts in a fit of dark jealousy and fear. He heartlessly orders the slaughter of innocent babies in Judea, in an attempt to kill the special baby he learned of from the sojourning magi. We are awakened to the reality of profound sorrow when we observe the Holy Day called The Holy Innocents. We take in the story of little ones—precious lanterns giving light to the world—who are destroyed by one whose personal power has corrupted and darkened his soul. In this observance, we open our eyes and stand against the reality that in this world the evil designs of tyrants and systems use power destructively. We also assert that God receives and embraces in restoration and love, all innocent victims.

Yes, even in the resplendent light of the Christmas season, our eyes are open to life as a mix of the happiest and the most unbearable things. We cannot tell what comes our way; we live one day at a time. Most importantly, we put ourselves into the arms of One who is Light and Love unto the Ages of Ages.