“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.” From the beginning… when God created the heavens and the earth and said: “Let there be light,” there is a distinct contrast, a difference, a tension between light and darkness. We hear that the light is good and God separates the light from the darkness.  Light reminds us of God, of truth, of goodness. We seek the light; we long for it; we desire its beauty.  Darkness, on the other hand, reminds us of evil.  It is something we tend to avoid; we don’t particularly care for darkness.   We cannot see when it is dark.  We don’t know where we are going.  We don’t particularly care for surprises, things that are hidden, things we cannot see, the evil that lurks in the darkness. Sin reminds us of darkness. When we sin, we separate ourselves from the glory and goodness of God’s light.  We are divided from the Light that shines on us, even in the darkness of this world, even in the darkest of times. But, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” The Light of the World has come to us to dispel our darkness, to heal our wounds, to forgive our sins, to bathe us in light.  Our Lord has brought us his light, his love, his life.  He brings the warmth of his love to cover this cold world darkened by sin.  He comes to heal those separated from his love.  In the darkness, the Lord calls out our names.  He draws us by the rays of his love, guiding us into his glorious light.  This light desires to penetrate the darkness of our world, to penetrate the darkness of our hearts, to pierce what has been wounded and to heal what has been divided.  The Lord has come to reform us into his image, to conform us to his will, to transform us once again into his children, the children of light.  May we desire his glorious light that burns brightly in us and whenever we experience a moment of distress, may we pray in faith and with confidence, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?”  God’s peace and blessings always.