Today's Reflection from Father Dave

The advantages of walking in the early morning darkness (disadvantages will be in another post): I get to test out a Christmas gift, a headlamp, and also I have the opportunity to see the sunrise, a welcome sight to each new day.   

The headlamp gives just enough light for me not to trip over uneven surfaces and for others to see me, which is good for the Wandering Padre who does not use sidewalks. So I consider it a very good present. Using the lamp yesterday reminded me of a passage from Pope Francis in the encyclical Lumen Fidei:

Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey. To those who suffer, God does not provide arguments which explain everything; rather, his response is that of an accompanying presence, a history of goodness which touches every story of suffering and opens up a ray of light.

My headlamp can be placed on a brighter level, and it brings even more of my surroundings into view, but it does not remove the darkness. Which brings me to the other advantage of walking in the early morning hours, the sunrise. Gradually a light that does dispel the darkness begins to rise. So it is a sign of hope for a new day and new possibilities. 

The Easter Vigil that we celebrate in just over a week from now, begins with the lighting of a single candle that leads us in a procession of hope. That light is passed from one person to another and the proclamation is sung: “Light of Christ.” Our response to this is simply, “Thanks be to God.”  

So we live in faith; the sun will rise, and yes the darkness will be overcome. This entire Lenten season, and maybe what is going on around us, is built on faith and hope. We know that Easter will come; the Light will break into the world and overcome the darkness. God came to save His people.  

These days when we are practicing “social distancing” it is a good time to practice “spiritual closeness,” walking with the Risen Son, who accompanies us even in the darkest of times. We are a people of faith; we hope for that time when we return to “normal.” 

In Faith, Hope, and Love, Your Wandering Padre

Father Dave

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