“The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.”  John

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”  MLK

I am writing this in the early morning darkness.  Darkness surrounds me.  Darkness envelops me.  Darkness seeps into me and sometimes flows forth from me.  I write this in both the literal and figurative sense.  It has the same effect on us all. 

Today I am especially cognizant of the darkness, as I’ve just returned from a trip to Cambodia where I was reminded of the darkness of humanity.  One cannot travel to this delightful destination without bumping into the darkness imposed on the Cambodian people by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.  The genocide that occurred in the late 1970’s was horrific not only in the scope of it, exterminating a quarter of the population, but also in the specific brutal way it was carried out. 

I had visited killing sites on previous visits.  On this one I went to a place called “The Killing Cave” which is exactly what the name implies—a deep cave, the rim from which the torturers thrust their victims, dashing them on the floor of the cave hundreds of feet below.  Skulls are encased in a nearby Buddhist shrine.  Darkness.

I also was made aware of the spiritual darkness.  This was my fourth trip to Cambodia, but the first time I was fully aware of how spiritually dark the practice of Buddhism is there.  I was struck by the lack of love and light in that particular practice.  Don’t misunderstand, there is much that I admire about Buddhism, especially in the emphasis on contemplation and connecting on a deeper level with one’s Self.  But I was left with the sense that as a religion it is bereft of the foundational principals which make the Gospel so precious, namely love, life, promise, hope, the gifts of The Spirit, and yes, Light.

The Gospel of John begins by bearing witness to Christ as the Light of the World.  It is a truth that is desperately needed in a dark world, and in the darkness of life.  It is a truth I too often take for granted.  It is only when confronted with the darkness, be it on a universal, societal, or individual level, that the Light becomes so precious. 

As I sit here in the ambient light of my computer screen, watching as the light of day gradually breaks into this darkness, I am mindful of the darkness that is inevitable in life.  I just heard from a former classmate whose brother died at the age of 66 from cancer.  And I’m thinking of my friend Gordy who is dying of pancreatic cancer.  And I’m thinking of the children of Cambodia who are subject to such incredible challenges in their daily life just to survive.  And of course, I’m aware, almost too much so it seems, of the darkness in the Middle East and the Ukraine.  On a personal level I’m thinking of the darkness I’ve experienced in my own life, and how overwhelming and seemingly suffocating it was.  This awareness leads to a deep sadness, a sense of helplessness, and sometimes almost hopelessness.  And that is why I’m thankful for the Light.  The Light that shines in the darkness, sometimes barely visible, not a flame but merely a flicker.  And how that Light somehow, and in some way, guided me on The Way.  And how that Light is held out not only to a world that at times seems so dark, but to each of us, not only to brighten our path, but to shine in and through us.  So that we might also shine light upon others who are walking in a very dark world.  And now I want to walk in The Light.

What darkness have you, or are you experiencing now?

Where do you see The Light of God’s Love?

How do you provide Light for others?