Walking in the Light

“The

light

shines in

the darkness,

and the darkness

did not overcome it.”[i]

So says the Gospel of John.

With our Advent candles ablaze

to poke holes in December darkness

our world’s need for that overcoming light

is evidenced by bombs raining down in the

evil attempt to plunge a nation into darkness.

Our nation’s need for heaven sent illumination

is communicated in the sad, all-too-frequent reports

of gunfire bringing death to people trying to enjoy life.

Our own soul’s need for Christ’s light is revealed by all that

weighs our hearts down: disappointment, disillusionment, despair.

“Come,

let us walk

in the light of the Lord!”[ii]

The prophet Isaiah’s invitation,

issued to people in darkness long ago,

is a timeless summons to the privilege of pilgrimage.

The seer said it after picturing a purposeful procession

to begin on a day when “the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be

established as the highest of mountains, and shall be raised above the hills.”

The envisioned voyage pictured as a human stream flowing from every nation

shouting together their journey’s goal and purpose:

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths…”[iii]

We too are called to walk in the light of the Lord and to make it our purpose

to learn the Lord’s ways and walk in the paths the Christ blazed.

We are do so on the strength of the witness of those who have gone before us:

“though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me”[iv]

May your path be lit by the Light darkness cannot quench!

James E. Thyren

December 2022

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[i] John 1. 5
[ii] Isaiah 2. 5
[iii] Isaiah 2. 3
[iv] Psalm 23. 4

[iv] Psalm 23. 4