November 2004

Darkness and light, an eloquent opposition that is recognized in all cultures and all religions. Light symbolizes life, goodness, perfection, happiness, immortality. Darkness stands for the cold, the negative, evil, fear, death.
The apostle Paul reminds the faithful of Rome that a Christian no longer has anything to do with a “dark” past made up of impurity, injustice, wickedness, greed, malice, envy, rivalry, treachery and spite (see Rom 1:24-31).

«Let us then throw off the works of darkness…

What are the “works of darkness”? According to Paul they are: “drunkenness… promiscuity and licentiousness… rivalry, and jealousy” (Rom 13:13) . They also include forgetting God, betrayal, theft, murder, pride, wrath, contempt for others, and even more: materialism, consumerism, hedonism, and vanity.
Works of darkness also include the frequently found easy-going attitude in choosing to watch all types of television programs when we browse the internet, read certain magazines, see certain films, or dress in certain fashions.
When we were baptized, we chose, through our godparents, to die to sin, with Christ, declaring three times that we wanted to renounce Satan and his temptations. Today, people do not like to speak about the devil; they prefer to forget about him, even to say that he doesn’t exist. And yet he does exist and he continues to foment wars, massacres, and all kinds of violence.
“Throw off” suggests a decisive, even violent action, something that makes demands on us, that requires consistency, determination, and courage, which are all required if we want to live in the world of light. Moreover, the Word of Life continues:

… [and] put on the armor of light»

It is not enough simply to renounce, to rid ourselves of evil; we need to “put on the armor of light,” which Paul then explains is to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 13:14), allowing him to live in us. Peter, the apostle, also invites us to “arm” ourselves “with the same attitude” Jesus had when he suffered (see 1 Pt 4:1).
Forceful images, yes, because we know that it is not easy to allow Christ to live in us. It means reflecting his feelings, his way of thinking and acting; it means loving as he loved, and love is demanding. It means that we must constantly wage a battle against our innate selfishness.

Yet there is no other way to reach the light. John clearly reminds us of this in his first letter: “Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 Jn 2: 10-11).

«Let us then throw off the works of darkness [and] put on the armor of light»

This Word of Life is an invitation to conversion, to move continually from the world of darkness to the world of light. Let’s repeat our “no” to Satan and to all his enticements and say our “yes” to God, as we did on the day we were baptized.
It doesn’t mean we have to accomplish extraordinary actions. All we have to do is to take everything we are already doing and motivate and animate it with true love.
In this way we will radiate around us a culture of light, of what is positive, of real happiness. We will prepare for paradise while still here on earth so that we will possess it eternally in heaven. This is so because paradise is a reality that Jesus promised us. It’s like a house that we build here and live in there. Paradise will be his gift: full joy, harmony, beauty, dance, and unending happiness, because paradise is love.

The experience of Mary from Peru bears witness to this. She is the mother of three young daughters. When she discovered the Word of Life, she learned more about God. It was a source of light for her and she plunged in. Her life changed completely.
Shortly afterwards Mary was diagnosed with a grave illness. While she was in the hospital she learned that she had a little more than a month to live. The new relationship she now had with Jesus made it easier for her to ask him to allow her to live five more years in order to solidify her conversion and make a difference in the lives of those around her.
The doctors were unable to explain how Mary’s health improved. She was discharged from the hospital. She returned home and began to make plans to marry her companion in church and to have her girls baptized.
Five years later, Mary’s illness suddenly worsened and in just two week’s time she concluded her earthly life.
Before dying, she was able to arrange every detail for the care of her daughters and to give hope to her husband. “Now I am going to the Father who is waiting for me. Everything has been wonderful. He gave me the five most beautiful years of my life, ever since I came to know him in his Word that gives Life!”

Chiara Lubich