Darkness and Light

Christianity tends to equate darkness with evil, and that perilous equation causes harm, especially to those whose skin is dark. This way of thinking may have stemmed from humanity’s natural fear of the dark, or the tendency of evildoers to work under cover of darkness. I’d like to say that only those with a dualistic mindset fall into this trap, but sadly, that’s most of us. I suspect the same is true for the other Abrahamic religions, which also tend to dualism. 

Nobody I know would say (or think) that the color of a person’s skin denotes their spiritual health. But images and metaphors, especially religious ones, wield power. Imagine a Black kid in church hearing the priest read exhortations to “cast away the works of darkness” and “drive away all darkness.” Or having to sing a hymn with the refrain, “In Him there is no darkness at all.” 

At our church’s Easter Vigil last year, I was the storyteller for the Creation story, and I decided it was time to give darkness a little love. So I gave it equal billing with light and pronounced both “good.” Think about it. Think about dark, fertile soil for growing crops. Think about the darkness of a womb where new life grows. The subconscious where inspiration bubbles up. The darkness of rest, recovery, sleep, dreaming, healing. The darkness of mystery, invitation, waiting, anticipation. The darkness of the shadow of God’s wings where we are safe. The rich darkness of hidden beauty, simple kindness, enduring love.

The season of Advent begins soon for those in liturgical churches. And the prayer for the first Sunday in Advent starts like this: "Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light.” But shouldn’t it really go something more like this? “Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works that grieve you, and take up your work of love.”