Some People Prefer Darkness

Greetings on this the Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

Reflection title is Some People Prefer Darkness
Writing style for podcast use.

Readings are from the book Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of John.

Acts of the Apostles

In today’s first reading the Apostles are taken to prison. Their preaching in the temple area has become too difficult to bear for the leadership. The people actually liked what the Apostles had to say. However, some people prefer darkness.

During the night an Angel of the Lord opened the prison gate for them and instructed them.

Go and take your place in the temple area,
and tell the people everything about this life.

It was necessary for the powerful to recapture them without force.

The guards brought them back to trial.

Nobody dared ask them how they escaped.

Truth can be suppressed for a time but truth always comes out.

For the faithful this is obvious.

For the nonbeliever it is but another manifestation of false prophecy.

Psalm Portion

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

The powerless (no army, no soldiers, no police, no guards) are very vulnerable.

While factually powerless, the faithful trust in the Lord to make them powerful in truth and receive the divine protection.

By Friday, the Acts of the Apostle story will progress to Gamaliel proposing to release them to their fate whether it be for God, from God or against God.

Gospel

Gospel truth is straight.

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.

People preferred darkness to light.

It is a sad reality that people want to hide truth.

It is our common disease.

This is applied to the current situation of our life.

Historical facts can be bad enough. Historical facts are the matter of Confession. This alone can drive a person away or toward truth. But the solution is the mercy of God.

Current truth (what we are doing) can be the most imprisoning. The gospel portion today is referring to those who persist in evil and are planning evil that very day. Notice the word tense (Were evil, Does evil).

because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.

Hope In Truth

Ironically, whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

This is our common hope.

Whatever the past, it is the current time that matters most.

What do we plan to do today?

If we seek truth, what we do will become a part of the divine action.

The one power we do have, to hide, the Lord asks us to not use.

No more hiding. No more needing to hide.

Seek truth and let your life be a part of the salvation story.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry