“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

The year is barely 5 days old, and the delicate balance of light and darkness is making us think about the unknown future.

Book of John: New Year Contemplations

I chose to start the year with the following reflection based on the Book of John 1-5: “(1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was with God in the beginning. (3) Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (4) In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Book of Genesis: Where it all began… 

Yesterday, during the homily, the priest emphasized verses four and five as they summarize our endless battles between good and evil. Likewise, they symbolize time periods in their purest form: beginning and end. Allow me to elaborate.

In the Book of Genesis 1:1–2:4a, we read how God created the world. After creating the heavens and the earth, darkness was over the surface, while the shining light of God’s Spirit was hovering over the waters. Then he said, “Let there be light.” He saw it was good and separated it from the darkness. Afterward, he named the light “day” and the darkness “night.” This is how time periods began: Morning and Evening marked the first day.

Scientific Evidence:  

It is always good to provide scientific evidence for the unbeliever and those casting judgment or doubts. Let us divide our explanations into six categories:

• Cosmic Events: The “Big Bang Theory,” suggest the universe is about 13.8 billion years old. Let us say the “Big Bang” was God’s commandments as described in the Creation narrative of the Bible.
• Formation of the Earth: Based on geological evidence, the Earth was formed from dust clouds in space. This echoes the creation of land and seas.
• Atmospheric Development: The Earth’s atmosphere took millions of years to develop. That goes along with the separation of the waters above and below.
• Life and Biodiversity: Fossils and geological findings confirm the series of evolutionary events describing life from water into land, etc.
• Natural Catastrophes: volcanic eruptions, meteor impacts, and ice ages shaped and continue to influence our landscape.
•  Water Cycle: the debatable account of Noah and the Flood and other events afterward are aligned with scientific studies regarding climate change, which affected the distribution of the water supplies and reservoirs.

Back to basics: From chaos to order

Why do I need to go through all these explanations to meditate on the message of the homily? The answer is simple: Because, despite all this chaotic creation process, one fact remains the same: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1: 5)

If you live in a place where there is hostility against Christians, then you might be able to understand the power of this scripture. Light gives us a sense of comfort and security. Both in the material and in the spiritual world because it “shines in the darkness.” In 2001, the Christian aid workers, Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry, were imprisoned by the Taliban for “evangelizing Muslims.” I remembered hearing an interview with them. They narrated about the “horrendous screams” of other inmates, who were regularly and severely beaten. One of those nights, they chose to sing this song of praise. “There is a light that shines in the darkness. There is a light that shines in the darkness. There is a light that shines in the darkness. His name is Jesus. He is the light of the world.” Afterward, the beating stopped, and there was silence. In many moments of darkness, singing that song gifted me inner peace.

Lights and Darkness: 

Several months ago, on a cloudy, foggy afternoon, I ventured into the woods for a walk. The fog among the trees was mesmerizing. This mystical invitation for adventure, I wasn’t going to let go. What I didn’t know was about the spiritual journey the Lord had prepared for me. A walk that I will never forget. During my long walk, I recited the “Mystery of Lights” of the Blessed Rosary. Suddenly, as I was walking, a very bright light shone behind me. I thought to myself, this is odd. I am alone here. Nonetheless, I was not afraid. I felt a deep sense of peace in my soul. Needless to say, curiosity got the best of me, so I turned around. The light was gone. This happened three times until I came out of an unknown path. I thanked my Guardian Angel and Jesus for their companionship.

This experience reassured me that I am never alone because “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:4)

May HIS light shine always on you!