Who here is scared of the dark? [Most kids raise their hands]. Adults, how about you?
[Some raise their hands]. I
lost my fear of the dark years ago, but last fall I had one night where I got
spooked.
It
all started with a BANG! It was
the middle of the night and there was a noise so loud I woke up thinking
someone might be breaking in. I
texted Fr. Rich: “Did you hear that?”
As he was sleeping, there was no answer. Then the next morning he asked me, “Fr. Ben, was it the
boogie-man?” Turns out it was just
the boiler.
The
following Sunday I heard a similar noise that woke me up again. This time it kept repeating itself and
I was creeped out again. At that
moment, Fr. Rich called me! I
asked him, “Are you scared of the boogie-man?” He replied, “I’m locked in my room…get me out!” You know what I did? I walked to the door in bare feet,
summoned my inner Chuck Norris and kicked it down [as I demonstrate this in
real life].
Sometimes
the darkness can be scary. But do
you know what the first words are in the Bible? Do you know what God first commands? “Let
there be light.”
John uses light and darkness
beautifully to contrast good and evil, belief and unbelief. When we walk in the truth of our faith,
we walk in the light and have nothing to fear. No matter what darkness is in our lives or souls—suffering,
death, cancer, depression—Jesus will light our path.
You parents help children (and even
some adults) sleep well at night by putting a Scooby-Doo night-light in their
room. Or when the boogie-man rears
his ugly head, you turn the light on and check under their bed. When times are tough, put in the
night-light of prayer and confidence in Jesus. Turn the lights on and be reminded that God is with you
always.
In this Easter season we celebrate
Jesus—the light of the world—and through his suffering, death and resurrection,
we no longer need to be scared of the dark.
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