Light and Dark

During, Lent, we grapple with Jesus’ teachings and the use of light and darkness as important metaphors for his life and resurrection.  Yesterday’s sermon was a great example of Jesus’ light.  The Samaritan woman went to Jacob’s well to gather water, and ended up having a discussion with Jesus.  Jesus told the woman many things; about the gift of living water, details of her own personal life, the promise of eternal life, and that he, Jesus, was the Messiah (John 4:26).  “Jesus said to her, everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty.  The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. (John 4:13-14) (NRSV)”

What brighter light is there for us to hear?  During this period of worldwide heightened anxiety, we can cling to the words found in John 4, along with other profound teachings in the New Testament.  But besides this light in our world, we just have to casually look around to discover that our world dwells on the dark.  I’ve personally spent a bit of my life studying this darkness – the kind of darkness that sucks your gut of life.  But, this darkness, as described in a lot of literature, including the Bible, ends in hope and light.  Barbara Brown Taylor, in her book, Learning to Walk in the Dark, points out that “new life starts in the dark.  Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark.”

So, in these weeks ahead, as Lent continues, and then breaks forth into Easter, let’s rejoice at the resurrection of our Lord: as we care for others, lend hands to those with needs, and pray for the answers to the unknown.  We can all do small things to spread light into this seemingly dark world.  I pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.