Light Vs Dark

30 Apr

Everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.  (Jn 3:20-21)

Christ, Our Light!

Thanks be to God!

These phrases were repeated three times as the Paschal Candle was processed into the church at the Vigil Mass of Easter.  The candle was blessed outside after the fire was blessed.  It was marked with the symbols of Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.  We were reminded that Jesus was the same yesterday and today and that He will be with us tomorrow and forever.

The candle was then processed into the darkened church.  Elevated high for all to see, the proclamation of “Christ, Our Light” was met with the joyous acclamation of “Thanks be to God!”  Even as the people responded, the light was taken from the Paschal Candle and passed to all in the congregation as they lit their tapers.  Holding the lit tapers in their hands, the candle came to the front of the church and the Exsultet was sung.

We want the light in our lives.  We gravitate toward the light and naturally abhor the dark.  Sadly, some people give themselves over to the darkness of sin and death.  We need to do all that we can to keep ourselves from stumbling.  We also need to pray for those ensnared by the dark, that they may reach out toward the Light of Christ.

I thought about this image yesterday as our skies kept getting dark and then light again.  All through the day, it looked as if  we were going to get socked by storms.  All through the day, it looked terribly “iffy” out there.  Each time the skies got really dark, I thought about the people south of us who were affected by the tornadoes the past couple of days.  Each time the skies lightened up again, I felt better about our own prospects.

The light and dark remind us of the need for the Light of Christ in our own lives.

Christ IS our light.  Thanks be to God!

FAITH ACTION:  Ask the Lord to shine His light into your mind and heart this day so that all your decisions may be made in His light.