01.30.2026 | Ordinary Friday

​Still Light
 
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
—John 1:5
 
As evening faded into the darkness of night, the lights still shone through the deep snow in the back garden. Even when the world feels dim and heavy, somehow the light still finds a way through. That verse from John came flooding into my mind: the light shines, and the darkness has not, cannot, overcome it.
 
I admit I am struggling with the troubles of the world right now. With the garden buried beneath a thick blanket of snow, it feels impossible to do anything outside. My usual escape into solitude and sanctuary has been taken away, and a dull melancholy has settled into my old bones. Yet even in the darkness, a light shines through. I am reminded that the light I carry, however small, still matters. It is necessary for sparking hope.
 
Matthew 5:16 calls us to let our light shine before others. Let hope be rekindled. I pray that I will allow myself to breathe. To trust a little. To love others as my Creator loves me. I hear the voice of my late friend, Fr. Jim Costello, S.J., with his gentle reminder: “God loves you. Just the way you are. Right now.” God loves all of us. Just the way we are. Right now.
 
As another week comes to an end, I am going to try to go gently into this day and carry whatever light I have left. To carry it into this dark and frightening world and, hopefully, shine it around a bit. To share it with a steady hand—without fear or shame, but with hope. Hope for a brighter day ahead, where the light shines in the darkness, and with faith that the darkness will never overcome it.