“Darkness covered the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:2

“And there was darkness over all the earth.”  Luke 23:44

It is no coincidence that Advent is observed during the darkest time of the year.  It is a time to anticipate the coming of Light into the world, while marking the darkness that serves as its portal.   Light depends on the darkness.  Life comes from darkness. 

This is the first and perhaps most fundamental truth found in the Bible. The Word begins not with light or creation, as we are wont to believe, but with darkness.  The Spirit of God is there, in the midst of the darkness, preparing to work the first miracle of creation.  Consider that carefully; The Spirit is present in the darkness! Oh that we would pay more attention to this primordial truth!

In order to make an impact, it is repeated in the pages that follow.  Over and over again one is reminded that God is working in darkness.  The Psalmist says that darkness and light are the same to God (Psalm 139).  Without one there cannot be the other.  The New Testament writers point this out as well.  The Gospel of John begins with a reminder of the darkness into which the Light has come.  Each of the other Gospel writers make note of darkness covering the earth at the time of Christ’s death.  Not only is Jesus covered with the shroud of death, but so is the world. It simply must be so in order for the Light to radiate fully and brilliantly, seeking to shine in the shadows of a dying creation, so that Life might spring forth.

We each have our part to play in this ongoing act of creation.  We spend the first nine months of our lives in total darkness, seeing nothing, doing nothing, only receiving the loving care and nourishment from our mother as we listen to the heartbeat of our creator, our God.  In time darkness gives way to life.  Birth comes first and foremost as a result of the time spent in darkness.  In order to be brought into the light of our new life we must each experience a type of death to  to the only life we have known.

The Celts were comfortable with darkness.  They observed two seasons, not four;   darkness and light.  Darkness began with Samhain which we know as Halloween. It was the time of transition from light to darkness.  They were far more comfortable with darkness and death than we are, seeing them as an integral part of living in the liminal spaces of life.  Without darkness there could be no light.  Without death there would be no life.  Without descending into despair there would be no ascent to the divine.  The Celts saw the beauty of darkness.  Rather than fearing it, they welcomed it both literally and figuratively.  

Darkness serves as a powerful metaphor for the difficulties that are inherent in life and absolutely necessary for one’s journey to and with God.  It is a lesson that we do our best to avoid, but that is repeated over and over again in the lives of the saints.  In order to save his people Joseph had to languish in prison.  In order for Jonah to hear God he had to descend into the darkness of the fish.  In order for Mary to be the Mother of our Lord she had to endure the indignity and ignominy of being an unwed mother, facing her own potential death in the process.

Advent is much, much more than merely a time of repentance and preparation for Christmas. To limit it to that is to cheat ourselves of the spiritual insights that can be gained during this time.  Advent is a time to embrace the darkness, allowing it to envelop us so that we can hear the heartbeat of our creator and experience the new life that is formed in us by life’s darkest events.  What darkness have we experienced, or perhaps are experiencing now?  Do we perceive the Spirit of God hovering over these deep waters in which we feel as though we’re drowning?  How might we welcome it, embrace it and be grateful for it?  How might we allow darkness to transform us by preparing us to see the Light and fully live Life?

Darkness is necessary in order to appreciate the Light.  Welcome Darkness!  Welcome Life!