“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” ~ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Darkness is powerful. It is pervasive. It is frightening. It is difficult to navigate while in it. It appears to be able to quash everything in its path. But, we have secret weapons in our possession that can overcome the dark. They are not might or power or prestige. They are truth and love and light. Armed with the truth, living in love, and guided by the Light of Christ, we can confront the darkness of the world around us.
I remember a scene from the movie Brubaker. In it, there were some men who had been in solitary confinement for an extremely long time. They were not allowed out of their cells. Their conditions were dark, damp, and desperate. One day, the new warden had them led out of their cells into fresh air. Immediately, they covered their eyes. The brightness of the sun was too much for them since they had been kept in the dark for so long.
When we live in the darkness of sin for a long period of time, we, too, begin to shy away from the light. The Light of Christ appears too bright and the truth appears to be too overwhelming. Rather than trying to adjust to the light around us, sinners will cover their eyes and seek the darkness that gives them some comfort.
It is sad when the darkness of sin comforts and the Light of Christ is too much to bear. If we allow ourselves to stand in the light, however, we will find the darkness flee and we will be able to find ourselves once again.
These are more than mere metaphors. The battle of good vs. evil, of light vs. dark, is real. We are meant for the Light and if we ask God to help us, He will bathe us in the Light of His Son, Jesus Christ. That Light will help us to scatter the darkness of sin and bring us closer to the Lord.
FAITH ACTION: Let the Light of Christ lead you in this dark world of ours.