The Darkness Doesn’t Have the Last Word

At this time of year, at least in the northern hemisphere where I live, the days are fairly short. I love the summer months and the long evenings filled with light. We can stay outside sitting on the beach or surfing well past dinner time.  However, even as we head into the dead of winter now, I know that the days have already begun to lengthen again, and the light will become more prevalent.

This time of year is always a reminder to me that while darkness is a part of life, it doesn’t have the last word.

It is also true that troubling times are a part of life… And it is in the midst of those times when we are deeply yearning for healing, yearning for stability, yearning for the light to break through the darkness – we need to remember this truth and to trust …

In the Gospel of John, Jesus reminds his disciples: “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Let us pray: We pray for your grace, mercy, and peace, O God. May these gifts fall afresh on us. And as we receive them, as they fill our lives, may they also overflow out into the world around us – in Christ’s name. Amen.