John 12:35 & 36 Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light."

When I was a teenager I had the honor of attending youth retreats held in the Calvin Coolidge State Park in Vermont. We would spend the week camping, building community and deepening our own spiritual growth. One of the most powerful metaphors we learned was the effects of light and darkness. We were always encouraged to bring flashlights wherever we went after sunset, and were shown why that very first night. The group of us stood in the center of the camp, and were instructed to turn off those lights. For a Jersey girl who grew up in suburban streets, it was impossible to imagine how dark that night became. It felt as if my eyes were squeezed tight, no vision at all! After a moment or two of panic, we were told to wait a bit, see if our eyes adjusted, because there was no absolute darkness. It wasn’t long before we could see edges of trees against the sky, and begin to make out different shades of dark on the path. Although even with that limited vision none of us wanted to move and remained rooted to the spot. It was in these moments of reflection that Jesus’s words became real – darkness cannot overtake you if you believe in the light. We learned the importance of keeping that flashlight on hand, walking in the illumination of its beam, sharing with each other if one didn’t have their own light. 

When have there been times in your life that you feel overwhelmed by the dark? When hopelessness seems to creep in and you feel defenseless to push it away? How do you find the light you need to walk in that darkness? Take a moment to list the people in your life who you know will always share their flashlight when you cannot see the path before you. 

Jesus calls to us through time and space: I am with you, believe in me, and you will never move in darkness. It is a good teaching to cling to as we move into the solemn, frightening time of recalling his death. Remember that even the smallest of light breaks that darkness, and no amount of darkness can ever extinguish the light of Christ.