Darkness to Light

The longest night of the year just happened! 3:20 a.m. CST marked the moment. Today will invite seconds of light to be added each day to the journey towards more light. 

During this Holy Season of darkness and waiting, within the womb of the earth, there are lights everywhere. Lights twinkling, steady, bright, dull, colored, abundant, sparing and some not lit at all, all in unison sending the messages of hope, “The Light has come and the darkness will never overcome it!”

I wonder if we looked at people as lights as they too are everywhere and each have their own scenery of display. During my night work, I encounter beloved lights that are sparing, dim, hurting, and grieving over a precious light flickering its last rays. Witnessing these moments pauses my heart to walk gently, listen deeply, and be fully present within the hard of life. 

Glimpses from the song “Go Light Your World” invites us to the more. “There is a candle in every soul… some brightly shining, some dark and cold. There is a Spirit who brings a fire, ignites a candle and makes His home. Carry your candle, run to the darkness, Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn. Hold out your candle for all to see it, Take your candle, and go light your world.” 

As we gently and slowly shift towards the light becoming more, may we carry our own candles with great love and kindness, reaching out to others who may need help lighting theirs or shining ours a little closer to someone’s path who needs a little extra light shed to help them find their way. 

What could “go light your world” mean today?

____________

All throughout these months as the shadows have lengthened, this blessing has been
gathering itself, making ready, preparing for this night.

It has practiced walking in the dark, traveling with its eyes closed, feeling its way
by memory, by touch, by the pull of the moon even as it wanes.

So believe me when I tell you this blessing will reach you even if you have not light enough
to read it; it will find you even though you cannot see it coming.

You will know the moment of its arriving by your release of the breath you have held
so long; a loosening of the clenching in your hands, of the clutch around your heart;
a thinning of the darkness that had drawn itself around you.

This blessing does not mean to take the night away but it knows its hidden roads,
knows the resting spots along the path, knows what it means to travel in the company of a friend

So when this blessing comes, take its hand.
Get up. Set out on the road you cannot see.

This is the night when you can trust that any direction you go,
you will be walking toward the dawn.

~ Jan Richardson

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top