Friday, December 31, 2004
Week Five, Day Six

“When does darkness end and light begin?” asked a teacher. A student answered, “Is it when you can tell a dog from a sheep?” “No,” replied the teacher. Another student asked, “Is it when you can tell a grape vine from a fig tree?” Again, the teacher answered “No” but added, “Darkness ends and light begins when you can look at another person and see a brother or a sister.”

As we mark the end of 2004, can you remember times of darkness in your family? among your friends and neighbors? in places you work or volunteer? in your congregation and other groups you are part of? In our town - city - state - and country as a whole?  In personal and governmental experiences with people outside our boundaries?

I certainly can.  Darkness so real I can feel it as I write. Darkness squeezes our joy - diminishes our dignity - reduces our energy - distorts our ability to see clearly and hear accurately - flattens all our emotions except anxiety and fear, guilt and shame.

Darkness arises when other people’s behavior reminds us of patterns and memories we find embarrassing or threatening or truly frightening.  Rather than face these parts of ourselves and seek more understanding and healing, we project them on to other people and gossip about them, criticize them, and act as an individual and/or through rules and laws to make their life more difficult.

Darkness expands when we see people only as their roles and not as persons. “Kids” – “Parents” –  “Teachers” – “Students” – “Workers” – “Management” – “Voters” – “Politicians” – “Citizens” – “Others” (in the United States or overseas)  - “The People” and “The Government.” Darkness thrives when we harden our hearts and call some of these persons “us” and the others “them.”

New Year’s Eve is a celebration of Light for people all around the world! Can you recall pictures on television as people celebrated January 1, 2000?   Lights and music and dancing and fireworks – all manner of sights and sounds marked the safe arrival of a new month – a new year – a new century!  People shared laughter and hugs and lively conversations – all signs of Joy and Hope and Peace.

January 6 is another celebration of Light!  On that day, the light of God in the birth of Jesus was recognized by three travelers from the East. They followed the light of a Star to Bethlehem. There they knelt before a Child in the Manger of a Stable. Their journey and their gifts to the Child are a sign Jesus came not just to God’s people, the Jews; he came to all people.

In his ministry, Jesus looked for “the least, the last, and the lost.”  He traveled to homes, lake shores and synagogues preaching and teaching.  He fed and healed many in need showing us “God so loved the world God sent Jesus…not to condemn the world but to save it.” (John 3:16-17)  Though he was rejected and killed, God raised him from death to be the light of the world.

The teacher in the story above and Jesus agree:  we leave the darkness when we learn to see each boy and man is “our brother” and every girl and woman is “our sister.”