A Little Light

The world is filled with darkness. An acquaintance of mine wrote a book chronicling his bout with clinical depression. That is darkness. I spent some time with a family going through a divorce. That is darkness. Another report of a family in the parish which has lost income due to the economic times. That is darkness. Weeks of attention given to Michael Jackson. However great his talent, his life was lived in the darkness of many troubles, trials, illnesses and addictions. Open the Sunday newspaper -- darkness adorns the headlines and not only on page one.

But there is a little light. Right here on Sunday morning the Light shines. Jesus Christ is here in the vehicles of His Word, His Water, His Voice of Absolution, and His Table. The darkness has surrounded us but it has not overcome us. Christ the Light is here. He forgives our sins and lifts the load of so much guilt. He reminds us that we belong to Him in baptism. He nourishes our weakened faith by the voice of hope and the table of grace. He gives us His very self -- body and blood in bread and wine. There is a little Light even in so much darkness.

We carry that Light of Christ with us through the doors as we head home, to work, to school, to the store, to the park, and everywhere else. We shine with borrowed light -- the light is not ours but Christ's. We don't have to come up with light -- we mere reflect the Light of Christ we have experienced in this wonderful Sunday morning mystery called the Divine Service. We reflect back to Him and to those around us... the Word that forgives, restores, and releases... the promise of baptism that gives new life to what was dead... the fellowship of a family called, gathered, and enlightened by the Spirit so that He might work His holiness in and among us...

A little Light... Thanks be to God!