Revealing the darkness…
“Suppose that a great commotion arises in the street about something, let us say a lamp-post, which many influential persons desire to pull down. A grey-clad monk, who is the spirit of the Middle Ages, is approached upon the matter, and begins to say, in the arid manner of the Schoolmen, “Let us first of all consider, my brethren, the value of Light. If Light be in itself good—” At this point he is somewhat excusably knocked down. All the people make a rush for the lamp-post, the lamp-post is down in ten minutes, and they go about congratulating each other on their unmediaeval practicality. But as things go on they do not work out so easily. Some people have pulled the lamp-post down because they wanted the electric light; some because they wanted old iron; some because they wanted darkness, because their deeds were evil. Some thought it not enough of a lamp-post, some too much; some acted because they wanted to smash municipal machinery; some because they wanted to smash something. And there is war in the night, no man knowing whom he strikes. So, gradually and inevitably, today, tomorrow, or the next day, there comes back the conviction that the monk was right after all, and that all depends on what is the philosophy of Light. Only what we might have discussed under the gas-lamp, we now must discuss in the dark. – G.K. Chesterton
We are apt as men, because of the darkness within us, to observe the light that is all around – the glory of God revealed in Creation – and not understand it. The Christ-treasurer understands the light to be Truth and attempts to draw people into a pursuit of understanding the Truth. He only wants the blind to inquire about what they cannot see, not for them to attempt a blind description. However, as he opens his mouth to explain, the mass of humanity tramples and beats him in their insane scramble to snuff the Light out.
Once it is gone, the evil in their hearts is comforted in the same moment that they begin to feel the cold. In the darkness they stumble around, looking for and expecting a new brotherhood rejoicing in shared victory. But the opponent wasn’t common in their blind eyes. Every man, each to his own desires, used the power of the masses to achieve his selfish intentions more quickly. They have victoriously achieved only manipulation and tyranny. Like lonely fireflies flickering in the dead of the forest, memories flash of the Christian and his Treasure, nowhere to be found in the crushing darkness, and as the beasts and screams rise up the night, the tortured mind despairs, “My God, what have we done?” – M.B.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. – John 3:16-21
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