Photo credits to my awesome brother in-law
What came to be through Him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:3-5
I’ve always loved the opening of the Gospel of St. John, but it feels like I’ve been hit over the head with this particular verse (specifically John 1:5) throughout the course of this Advent season.
I wonder what it must’ve been like to be an Old Testament Jew—waiting in the darkness for the light to bring salvation to the world. If I was in that position, I feel like I would’ve fallen into despair more times than I would’ve allowed myself to hope. What would it have been like to be part of a population so oppressed, yet so trusting in God’s promise of salvation?
I feel as though I’ve experienced the darkness of desolation more often in the past year than I’ve experienced the light of consolation. Of course, these feelings were often caused by my own failures to run to the Lord and my tendencies to run into the open arms of things of this world—temporarily satisfying, yet ultimately emptying. Being in the dark is hard, but lacking hope of light makes it all the more difficult.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing…
Isaiah 9:1-2
As Christians, we have great treasure in our faith—the faith that tells us that light will in fact shine in the darkness and that, no, the darkness will not overcome it. Christ, our Light, shone in the darkness of a dingy cave all those years ago, yet He continues to shine in our day-to-day darkness, should we invite Him into it.
May we, as people of the Light, cling to the hope that Our Lord will bring light to our darkness. May the light and joy of Christmas shine in our lives and hearts today and everyday, overcoming any darkness we may encounter.
Merry Christmas.