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Christ is risen!

We’ve heard so much about “light” and “darkness” and stories of people having near-death experiences and seeing a “light” at the end of a tunnel and being drawn to that “light.” And not to mention the common fear of children of the dark, the popularity of “night lights” (we even have a night light that has a “stained glass” version of an icon of the Theotokos in our daughter’s room). We, humans, like to see where we are going! We are not big fans of being “in the dark!”

And that really isn’t a complicated notion at all, is it? No one likes to hit their shin on the corner of the coffee table in the middle of the night.

Well, if that’s true of my physical life, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that this is even more true in my spiritual life. All of this is together! Stumbling into confused spiritual darkness has even more serious complications and consequences than even the dangers of physical darkness.

In our Scripture Lesson today, the Apostle John writes about this very truth. Look at our lesson in I John 1:1-7:

THAT WHICH WAS from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life – the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us – that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

God IS light and there IS NO darkness in Him. So, where you find spiritual darkness, you find persons who are either unaware of the Light God offers or have purposefully chosen to ignore the “light.” In fact, if you say you are “in fellowship” (the Greek word is ‘koinonia’ pronounced ‘keenoNEEa’) and act like you are not informed by His light then you are not being truthful. By the way, you’re not being untruthful to God; He knows you better than you know yourself. And, you’re not usually being untruthful to those who are around you; we can tell you’re not being honest. No, the person you’re being untruthful to is yourself, and that’s the biggest problem we humans have!

The Apostle goes on to say that being in God’s light leads to “koinonia,” communion, and fellowship with “one another” and here his meaning is two-fold. We have “koinonia” with God and we have “koinonia” with our brothers and sisters who also have “koinonia” with God. The Light allows true and honest communion both horizontally and vertically! The Light of God creates, allows, informs, educates, and strengthens honest, growing, and healthy relationships.

The “darkness” does just the opposite.

The story of St. Arsenios the Deacon provides a powerful example of being in the light even in physical darkness. St. Arsenios was a deacon in Rome in the 5th century and was the tutor to the sons of the Emperor. Being in the palace of the king had Arsenios surrounded with numerous temptations to sin and to be distracted from his one, true desire for salvation. Eventually, Arsenios left the palace to become a monk. During this time, one of the other monks passed by Arsenios’ cell while he prayed and was astounded to see St. Arsenios appeared to be a single flame as he prayed. St. Arsenios would end his life as a complete recluse and those who visited him said his regular discipline was to turn his back on the setting sun at the end of the day and would not sit down and end his prayers until the sun, once again shone on his face the next day. He fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 95 in 449 AD. Filled with the light of piety and devotion, St. Arsenios was never confused by darkness because he was always in the Light!

So, today, are you in “the Light?” It isn’t just a “lucky thing” that the highest season of our Christian Year, the season of Pascha, begins with the words “Come, receive the Light from the Light that is never overtaken by night, and glorify Christ Who is risen from the dead.” Being in the light of the victory of Christ over the ultimate darkness of death is the absolutely only way to have a real, growing, and healthy relationship with God and with those around me. The darkness, and it’s a defeated darkness at that, can only separate, make us more self-centered, and more unhealthy in our relationships. And the greatest tragedy of all that is that this result can only occur if I allow it. The Light always drives the darkness away. All I have to do is turn toward Him Who IS Light Himself! Do that today and watch as all your relationships start reflecting your growing relationship with God as you live in the light of a Normal Orthodox Life!

P.S. With the rivers of your tears, you have made the barren desert fertile. Through sighs of sorrow from deep within you, your labors have borne fruit a hundred-fold. By your miracles you have become a light, shining upon the world. O Arsenios, our Holy Father, pray to Christ our God, to save our souls.

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