Acts 16:9-15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10,22-22:5; John 14:23-29
“For the Lord God will be their light.”
I’m sure some of you will know this: “Jesus bids us shine with a clear pure light, like a little candle burning in the night; in this world of darkness we must shine – you in your small corner, and I in mine.” (1).
I don’t know about you, but as a child I was afraid of the dark. So much so the landing light was left on so that I could see it under my door, and even then, I hid under the bedclothes as soon as my light was off. Darkness was very scary. Even today: I get nervous walking on my own at night in the dark, even with Pippin. I check the shadows or walk along main, well-lit paths. No wonder we pray “Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord.” And how much more threatening, scary, would darkness have been at the time of Jesus – no streetlights, no nightlights. The streets would have been very quiet and very dark. “O Little town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie,” indeed. And “yet, in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light, the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” This is everlasting light that needs no lamp or sun, the light that replaces night with day, the light by which the nations will walk when God’s re-creation is established, and tears are wiped away, when God’s kingdom has come, God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. There is so much in our readings today that reminds us of that light, the light which is the Word, the Word made flesh, and which came into the world to dispel darkness, to overcome it eternally. The light and Word John speaks of so eloquently at the beginning of his Gospel is reflected in today’s Gospel and other readings.
Our readings describe a light that reaches into the deepest shadows and offers hope, offers freedom from darkness. This is the Lord God who will be our light. And it is into this light, this light of the Lord, that we are called to live, to live and walk in the light, and to take up the light, to become part of the light that shines in the darkness, which the darkness did not overcome. We are to let the light banish the darkness from before our path; to let the light into all those dark corners of our lives – however scary or unnerving that could be – and let it bring the hope and peace of Christ into our hearts: Peace be with you, the peace Christ left with us in the Spirit. And then we are to speak the Word into the darkness we see around us and bring Peace, the peace left with us, to us, by Christ. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. Because this is the Peace which takes away fear, drives out darkness and restores the hope and love of God in the world. And so, Jesus bids us shine with a pure clear light shining in the darkness of this world, into the small corners, so that the powerful light of the Lord can lighten the darkness and drive out fear.
This is the light that leads us in the power of the Spirit, the light and Word from the Spirit that Paul was waiting for and which led him to Macedonia to bring light to Lydia and the women meeting to pray by the river. And it is this light that gives us strength to stand in the darkness and drive the shadows away by bringing the hope that light offers. Even if we can only do it in a small way, even if our light seems to shine only as a pale imitation of the light of Christ. After all, we are only a reflection of that light, and sometimes the darkness in the world can seem overwhelming. Sometimes it can feel that offering hope and peace in this world is an endless, thankless task in the face of the violence, the prejudice, the hate that fills our TV screens, that is spoken around us by those who seem more influential, who appear to have more power, more access to power and stronger voices. Voices that shout to drown out the words of love for neighbour, for stranger, for friend and foe. Voices speaking words in darkness that generate hatred for the other, encourage prejudice, blaming others, seeking to divide, build barriers, in order to preserve the status quo in which the poor, the oppressed, the forgotten and overlooked can remain shoved into their darknesses of despair and hopelessness whilst the rich, noisy and powerful increase their riches and power, speaking violence at the expense of others’ lives. Truly into this darkness, it can seem our flame, our light, can be too pale to make a difference. But Jesus knows this. And so, “Jesus bids us shine, first of all for him; well he sees and knows it, if our light is dim; he looks down from heaven, sees us shine – you in your small corner, and I in mine.” We shine our lights for him, with him, and in him, and together with him and each other, and he gives us strength to shine brighter: after all, if we all take up the light then through the power of the Spirit, that light grows, strengthens and reaches deep into the darkness of people’s hearts, and into the dark situations people can find themselves in, and bring Peace: the peace of God, of Christ, the peace Christ gives to us, not as the world gives. We are not alone in shining our small lights into our small corners. We shine with Christ and together – you in your small corner and I in mine, shining with the light of Christ, the light that is life, that is the light of all people, which guides our hearts, our words and actions: the light which shines in the darkness overcoming that darkness through the power of the cross and the resurrection.
Because: “Jesus bids us shine, then; for all around many kinds of darkness in this world abound: sin and want and sorrow: we must shine – you in your small corner, and I in mine.” Jesus knows the world is full of darkness, he felt its power as it tried to defeat him, his mission, and he overcame it. Jesus came into the world as light and hope and love for all people. He is the Word of God, the light that enlightens everybody and whose example and triumph we are called into. Thus it is this light that we testify to, like Paul to Lydia, this light we are called to share and spread across the world, joining with Christ and guided by the Spirit, in our own small corners, bringing light and hope to the situations around us, you in your small corner and I in mine.
Christ is our light. We are called to overcome our fear of the dark and become lights in the world for Christ, to bring hope and speak peace into troubled situations. To stand up for the light, for truth and hope and love in the face of darkness and hatred, prejudice and oppression. We are to find where Christ is waiting in the streets and join him, stepping into his light, letting it bring strength and embolden us so that we can then shine more brightly together, with Christ and each other, lightening the darkness with love, hope and redemption, so all can know that “the Lord God will be their light,” their light and their salvation, within their darkest nights, kindling a flame that never dies away. And the more of us who shine with the light and peace of Christ, the further it will reach, the more darkness and sin, want, sorrow and fear will be overcome. So it is that we must shine, for Christ and with Christ: you in your small corner and I in mine. Amen.
(1) Susan Warner, “Jesus Bids Us Shine”: https://hymnary.org/text/jesus_bids_us_shine_with_a_pure_clear_li