Isaiah 49:1-6 / John 13:21-33, 36-38
It is quite difficult to imagine a day without light. We are so used to the sun shining in the morning and in the day time. And even at night there are the electrical lights that we can turn on so that we can see even after the sun has set.
But we can also take light so much for granted that we don't really appreciate it.
And we may take light so much for granted that we may not know what darkness is, and when light is not available, then the darkness can be overwhelming.
In the gospel, we heard that what followed after Judas went out. It is just three words: Night had fallen.
Those three words indicate that the hour of darkness had descended and it was a sinister darkness because it was a darkness that brought out the dark side of the disciples.
It was not just Judas betraying Jesus. Peter denied Jesus. The rest of the disciples feared for their lives and deserted Jesus and left Him alone to face His enemies.
But in that encroaching darkness, Jesus said: Now has the Son of God been glorified and in him God has been glorified.
Jesus was that light in the darkness and the darkness cannot overpower Him. For Jesus, He didn't curse the darkness nor let the darkness overwhelm Him.
In that darkness, He let the glory of God shine in Him and that glory shone bright in His Resurrection.
We all have our dark sides, and when the devil plays on our darkness, the cumulative darkness can be overwhelming.
But we must remember that we belong to the light. As we heard the Lord saying in the 1st reading: I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Let us shine bright with the glory of God so that the darkness of evil will be scattered.