Light

By Pastor Paul Gauche

Today’s Word: ‘Light’ as in… the light of love in the face of hate will always prevail against the darkness of violence in the face of fear.

The dust is still settling in Washington DC. While tempers are still elevated, some semblance of order is being restored as the collective blood pressure of a nation divided is showing some signs of returning to a previous level. Although we’ll never be able to call that level “normal” again.

On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, millions of people around the world watched in disbelief and even horror as the halls of the Capital in Washington DC were filled with hate, darkness, violence and fear. A friend described it this way: “I watched in utter disbelief as the rioting hoard mobbed the Portico on the west side of the Capitol building, smashing their way into the Rotunda and into the sacred halls and chambers of our Democracy.”

On Wednesday evening, I began to notice what I was experiencing: equal parts of disorientation, nausea, anger, disbelief and powerless. The only relief I had was this tweet: “Don’t expect yourself to be productive right now.” I was feeling numb, which seems, even now, to be so counterintuitive.

Dr. Martin Luther King once wrote: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it … I have decided to stick to love…Hate is too great a burden to bear.” These words, of course, echoing even more ancient words: “There is a light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.”  (John 1:5)

Our response in the face of hate and fear is the light of the love that continues to push back against violence and darkness. That light and that love, once born in a stable in Bethlehem, is constantly being reborn through us.

The light still shines. And against the darkness of violence in the face of fear, that Greater Light will always prevail.

#100days50words

Paul Gauche is the Pastor of Life Transitions at Prince of Peace. His posts are part of his #100days50words project, where be blogs about a different word each day. You can follow his project on Instagram (@pgauche), or on his blog, Thriving Rhythms.