I mentioned in a sermon a couple of months ago that I think we live in a world where darkness truly is growing. It is only in my lifetime that the proliferation of drugs and gun violence and terrorism (now including domestic) and any number of other social ills really are worse than they were before, at least in the collective. Part of my daily prayer includes a reminder from the first chapter of John’s gospel: A light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it; to bear the (baptismal) light of Christ. To be completely honest with you, I’m finding that increasingly hard to do as the darkness grows. My answer lies in holding tight to the understanding that if I try to be a lone light shining in the darkness, the darkness surely will overcome that light. But if I find others who are also shining Christ’s light and those lights are combined, then it becomes light that the darkness does not overcome. From one light-bearer to another…and another and another and another…let’s shine and combine our collective light so bright that no darkness will ever overcome!