Second Sunday of Advent
December 4th, 2011
Darkness to Light

In every  twenty four hour day we have a period of darkness. Darkness has and often is associated with fear, negative emotions, the unknown, yet darkness-the night forces us to go to sleep, which is essential in order to re-vive our energies, as well as dream- sleep which provides the brain the opportunity to re-settle some of the day’s emotional trauma. But more and more philosophers, psychologists, spiritual writers are consistently reminding us that  life has its dark moments, and if appropriately handled, they can, and often do, lead to the light. In fact accepting the reality of periods of darkness in our lives, can actually increase our vision and amplify our horizon, so that we can begin to grasp a  much bigger picture. Life, folks is about change period, and to live fully means that we change frequently.

Dante opens the Divine comedy by telling us that his odyssey began as he traveled in the darkness of middle age: "Midway in our life’s journey, I went astray from the straight road  and woke to find myself  alone in a dark wood. But since it came to good, I will recount all that I found revealed by God’s grace.” The famous Dr. Carl Jung wisely taught that unless we enter this destabilizing darkness of midlife, we will likely end up as hypochondriacs . . doctrinaires, applauders of the past, or eternal adolescents. But if we enter these dark periods in faith, and as these modern writers state” embrace the pain, the darkness," knowing that there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel.’ Needless to say, this is most challenging, but ultimately has the potential for multiple advances.

Let’s see how this connects with the readings-God’s Word. Our first reading from the prophet Isaiah 40:”Give comfort to my people, says  your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is expiated;  — you see Israel had its own darkness, its own midlife crisis. God had promised King David that his kingdom would remain forever, and when that kingdom was destroyed, it seemed that God broke his promise. The people lost their temple, their land and are now in exile – darkness all around .So in the midst of this darkness the prophet speaks words of comfort Israel, the chosen people have to face their own darkness of sin, and rethink their relationship to God. This can be compared with  the possibility of great benefit, as Americans take a long and deep look at our national and global worlds today.” A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low . .then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed . .like a shepherd he feeds his flock.” Once we bring God into the highway of our life, then miracles begin to happen.

Peter in the second reading tells us that God is patient with us, "not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance — be aware of the day of the Lord — the end. In the gospel Mark identifies that voice crying in the desert as John the  Baptist., who announces that there is one mightier than he, who will "baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The people who rushed to John the Baptist, recognized their darkness, their sinfulness and were open to his message. We as Americans are in a kind of exile right now,  but perhaps we are trying to solve global problems with human strategies, and forgetting that what God wants for all people — all people is peace and justice.