26 January 2020 - the people who sat in darkness

Today's Readings

(Audio)

the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.

What was the shadow? It was the shadow of death itself. It might have seemed to think for the light to pierce. The problem might have seemed to intractable. Human suffering, heretofore unmitigated throughout history, seemed to be a permanent feature of reality. Yet there was a light that could comprehend this, make sense of it, and cast it out.

What was this light? It was nothing other than the presence of Jesus. Simply by being in that region it was changed from a place of darkness to a place illuminated by a great light.

He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea

The presence of Jesus in a situation is the only thing needed to change it from darkness to light. He himself is the only way that we can make sense of pain, sorrow, and suffering. But the way he does so is not complicated, not mysterious, nor abstract. If it were, only the very wise could make sense of it.

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Many look for wisdom or for mighty deeds (see First Corinthians 1:22). But it is the simple and the childlike that have the best perspective to receive what Jesus is doing. It is they who simply rejoice in the light of his presence, not needing to control it by comprehension or explanation. They are the ones who might not be able to give all of the doctrinal reasons why something is true but, when pressed, can say, 'I'm not sure about that. But I am sure of this: I love you, and Jesus loves you.' Somehow this is more compelling than any Summa or Catechism. Somehow this is the light shining in its purest form.

You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.

There can be joy in any circumstance, not because mighty deeds change it, nor because wisdom makes sense of it, but because even there the light of Jesus can shine. May we welcome him wherever we find him and follow him wherever he goes.

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.