Let Your Light Shine
Scripture: “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)
Reflection:Given the contrast between light and darkness, truth and evil, most persons would place themselves somewhere in the middle of that continuum – truth-seekers, open to, but not actively or consistently participating in everything good and everything beautiful. From international and national news, from social media posts and the assorted gossip fora, we easily recognize a super-abundance of evil and darkness around us. This state of darkness eventually drives us to fear, mistrust and often, an all-encompassing despair. Justifiably, we conclude, “People love darkness, their deeds are evil”.
I, must now make an admission, that afteryears of quoting John 3:19b with derision to, and about persons whose deeds offend my sensibilities, I only recently noticed the tense of the statement “People loved darkness…their deeds were evil,” and I am only just noticing that the blanket statement was applicable to what happened in the past. But something changed that. His forgiving love embraces all creation – the good, the bad, the ugly. His transforming mercy and grace allow all persons the choice to live in the light or, to turn away from Him and be surrounded by darkness.
So, reading the entire verse has lifted the thick cloud of hopelessness that has threatened to engulf my world as a consequence of ineffective virus safeguards, escalating dastardly crime, human greed and, overall, an increase in the reports of ‘man’s inhumanity to man”. What comes through to us with our scripture selection today, is that God’s persistent, enduring love is shown in the gift to us of His Son, Jesus.
As His followers, our task is that of facilitation, encouragement, restoration and hope. We lead people to the Light rather than condemn their preference for twilight or darkness. “… the Light has come into the world…” and has changed everything.
We celebrate the advent of light at the birth of Christ; the gradual manifestation to all willing to see during the just-ended season of the Epiphany. During Lent, the Light has been revealing our self-imposed exile and our propensity for living in the shadows.
Meditation: The light has come and will burst radiantly from the tomb with approaching Easter to descend, infuse and empower us at Pentecost.
Prayer: “Light of lights, shine o’er us on our pilgrim way, Go Thou still before us to the endless day” Amen.
The St. Jude’s Writers
St. Jude’s Church
Stony Hill
Anglican Diocese of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands
19 March 2021
