Sitting in the dark

“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 Speeches

“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”

― Plato

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I woke up this morning in the dark

and it will be hours

before the first feeble light tries to

break through clouds

that wrapped the trees in

shade of gray

I woke up this morning in the dark

not the darkness of a winter’s mourn

but in that dark night of the soul

which comes when those in power

who should be protecting the vulnerable

and maintaining justice

and promoting good

don’t

when caught up in greed

and a blind lust for power

they abandon the vulnerable

promote injustice

and enable evil

I woke up this morning

In the darkness that comes

When the powerful practice evil

In plain sight

And millions cheer them on

Not caring that immigrant children are in cages

And black youth live in fear of death

And the poor are having he very things they need to flourish

Threatened

So that the rich can get richer

The words of the prophets echo in my head

Feeling fresh and new

And devastatingly relevant 

Alas for those who devise wickedness

    and evil deeds[a] on their beds!

When the morning dawns, they perform it,

    because it is in their power.

They covet fields, and seize them;

    houses, and take them away;

they oppress householder and house,

    people and their inheritance.

Therefore thus says the Lord:

Now, I am devising against this family an evil

    from which you cannot remove your necks;

and you shall not walk haughtily,

    for it will be an evil time.

I woke up this morning

Profoundly aware that we need a savior

We need Christmas

It is not that the Advent has not already happened

It is not that the Savior has not come

And shown us the way, the truth and the life

We have been shown how to do life a different way

And we have been given the power to do it…

But

But

Even those that claim this savior

Have gotten caught up in the old way

And have abandoned the heart of Jesus teachings

John made it profoundly clear

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

So we need a Savior

Or rather we need the Savior who has already come

We need to turn to this one who came

And who still comes in the person of the Spirit

And we need to let the light shine

Shine in our hearts so intensely

That we can see, what is evil, and what is good

So that we will not be confused or deluded anymore

So That we can feel, the pain of the poor and the lonely

So that we can live lives of kindness, and generosity, and love

We need to let the light dispel the darkness

This Advent our hearts must cry out

O come, O come, Immanuel,

and ransom [these] captive [hearts]

For we mourns in lonely exile here

Here in the darkness

Come Savior of the world

Shine in the darkness

Thank you, in your tender mercy

You, in Jesus have, like the rising sun

come to us from heaven

to shine on those living in darkness

    and in the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the path of peace. (Song of Zechariah, Luke 1)