“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speech
It is the first week in February (also Black History month). As I sit looking out the window, I realize that the dark days of winter are creeping slowly towards the light. It is 5:30 p.m. and I can actually see the remnants of the now defunct Pine Lake in Hudson as the twilight brings to mind the ecological tragedy which ensued when the dam broke some five or so years ago. Light, indiscriminately, reveals both the beauty of creation and the man-made ugliness of human intervention and inaction.
Co-incidentally this coming Sunday, we will be reading from Matthew 5 and hear the words of Jesus as he says to his followers “you are the light of the world”.
Did you realize that our greatest external source of light, on which everything living on earth is dependent, is the sun. Although Jesus was referring to something else entirely in his continuing Sermon on the Mount, it is still comforting to know that the sun is always there, even on stormy overcast days – it is just behind the clouds and never truly goes away.
Jesus’ words this week afford us the opportunity to reflect on and connect to our inner light – remembering that what we have in common with the sun is that our inner light is never extinguished.
Like a candle burning in a porcelain diffuser, our inner light shines outwards, casting a gentle glow on everything it encircles. And that same light is reflected back to us as we shine it onto others.
It’s reassuring to know that our inner light never goes out. Never. Even when this human life ends, our light is connected to our souls and our soul light continues.
We began as light. We continue as light. We bear light. We share light. We connect to Source with light. We inspire the world with light.
So, embrace your light. And, find your place in the sun (or Son).
In peace,
Beryl