Facing the Darkness: in the season of Epiphany

A light is shining within a dark world.  It can’t be put out no matter the powers that war against it.  Till the end it shines brightly healing the wounded of the world’s horror.  In the dark evil rules and blood flows while the light reflects the darkness of our hearts enabling those who choose to be healed of their wounded souls.Rivers of sludge run through the streets gathering the waste of human deeds.  The powers that rule, the institutions that govern, the machines that run societies economic motion turn a blind eye and death ear to the plight of the human soul and nature’s demise.  Greed for power and more of what isn’t theirs motivates the hearts of rich and poor to rape, kill and destroy till they’ve conquered all leaving nothing holy in the world of turmoil. Into the ocean flow the rivers of humanity’s spoil flowing where they will over mountain, field, and forest.  All is interconnected, none acts alone, the waste of our lives effects everyone.  Willingly due we excrete the poison of our hearts into the flowing water transforming life by our greed into a slave of futility creating a dead zone in the midst of the life of the ocean.  Sin is not pleasant or something that brings us comfort but in a strange way facing it’s reality can help to heal the wounded world we live in.  The destruction of relationship whether between people, communities, God, or nature is the action of sin; the willful exercise of power for self-centered greed.  Sin’s power is in the willful action of the human heart in synergy with the power’s of evil that reside in institutions or agents of darkness making it personal and it’s social. Into the dead zone infecting the ocean like a virus effects the body comes the light clothed in flesh to heal and make things right.  The true light doesn’t escape or avoid the evil of the world.  Goodness isn’t about keeping oneself pure and avoiding the dark places of the world.  Goodness compels the heart to get involved by stepping into the mess of the world to be hope and healing for this place of madness. The light clothed in flesh doesn’t go to places of power and raise up armies to impose a different legal or political system.  He who is light has no power.  The one who has come has left power behind for the sake of love and justice which power corrupts no matter how great the desire or motivation.  Until the heart is stripped of all selfish desire and wholly united with God can it make room for transformation that brings healing and life. It’s into the middle of the dead zone that Jesus Christ makes his residence without being attached to the land in the form of a dwelling or bringing vast armies to establish his kingdom.  Instead it’s from a position of weakness and invitation that Jesus lets the light of healing shine to face the darkness with a love open to any who chose to receive it. The goodness of light is found in it’s ability to dispel the darkness so humanity and nature can see the possibility of a relationship with God.  Through God’s love there is healing of the emptiness and death of sin so that people can unite together with one another and overcome the poverty, injustice, evil, and greed of the world. From within the zone of death Jesus calls followers to come and be his friends.  Though their hearts are part of the polluted ocean, part of the problem, they are the ones who are chosen to receive the truth and friendship of Christ and be healed and part of the solution. 

It’s not the well to do or those who have it together that Jesus Christ, the light of the world, chooses to bring peace on earth.  Instead, Jesus calls the messed up and broken who live in the dead zone of life’s ocean to be vessels of hope to bring into existence a world that is in unity with God and has peace. 

REFLECTIONS ON THE BOOK OF MATTHEW CHAPTER 4: verses 12-22