Sermons from St
Faith's
Walking in the
Light
Paula O'Shaughnessy, 27th
December, 2015
The Christmas tree festival here at St Faith's was a
wondrous sight. The darkness of the bleak midwinter
was overcome with the lights on the 40 or so Christmas
trees – each one beautifully different. The smell of
the pine tree oil was spicy and earthy, inviting and
embracing. The hard work of the volunteers made the
festival come alive and happen – welcoming people from the
community to the church sanctuary, for a great experience
of senses and delight – with good food and a place to rest
awhile.
In the advent season, we all look forward to the coming of
the light of the world – seeking the hope of
mankind. The words of the today's reading – John's
first letter reveal this:
"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim
to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness
at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him
while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do
what is true; but if we walk in the light as he
himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another."
Can we but hold on to this truth? St John of the
Cross, the 16th century Carmelite monk, wrote about 'the
dark night of the soul': "That night guided me more surely
than the midday sun to where there waited for me him whom
well I knew there where no-one else appeared."
How do we fare with our own dark nights of the soul?
I don't know about you, but I can't say that I've always
managed so well! But, we cannot survive alone,
without God. He is with us, and we need to keep that
faith, in the times of darkness as well as the times of
light. I found in meditating on the readings today,
that the very distinctive writings of John the Evangelist
brought this challenge out very strongly. It is
easier to read the other 3 Gospels, with their familiar,
almost homely style. You can't help but love the
stories in Luke about Jesus' early life, with the hope and
familial warmth. John's Gospel seems more remote,
less comforting. There are no parables in John, and
no specific message to help the poor, to love one's
neighbour or one's enemies. The new commandment from
Jesus is this:
"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one
another. By this everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another."
John's Gospel has an intensity in its focus on bringing
faith in Christ Jesus to the people. In Chapter
20.31 he sets the purpose of the Gospel: "But these
are written so that you may come to believe that
Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that
through believing you may have life in his name."
It is the sustaining power of faith, the life we find in
Christ, which John proclaims. When we look around us
today, we see the need for faith and strength of
belief. As the instabilities of the world erode the
safety of God's people – so do we need to pray for faith
and the strength which it brings. The broken
agreements around the world, big and small with the
sadnesses that go with them – which need to be renewed
with faith.
As churches close, as people turn away from God and
towards the shallow materialism of the secular world, as
the meanings become lost to the next generation – so do we
need to pray hard, in the dark night of the soul, looking
for the dawn. The zeal of John the Evangelist can
inspire us. Symbolised as an eagle – represented on
many a church lectern – the word and faith soars above the
earth, inspired and inspiring. Whether John the
Evangelist was John the Beloved disciple, or (as some
theologians believe – a pupil of John the apostle, known
as John the Elder), we cannot be sure. His certainty
of belief in Christ Jesus is clear. John's Gospel is
one of four, no greater or lesser than the others, but
rather complementary – altogether though, greater though
than the sum of the parts.
The love we show to one another, is key – as Christ lives
in us. Where we see Christ in each other. Not
always easy to do, but we must try if we are to be true to
our faith. If we are to walk in the light, to have
life in Christ Jesus, we have to be brave, to fight
against the darkness of the world and our own
weakness. As John of the Cross wrote:
"Where there is no love, put love, and you will receive
love back."
