In our reading from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he writes about light and darkness. Paul tells the community members that they are not children of darkness, but instead, they are children of light. They are not to be of the night or of the darkness; thus, they are to stay alert or sober for the day of the Lord that will come.
Sometimes we can grow accustomed to the darkness we encounter on our journey through life. Sometimes when we don’t see any light in our lives, we grow so accustomed to the darkness, then we are able to see better in the darkness than we can in the light. Even though we are called to be children of light as disciples of Christ, we might not think the light will ever come back again. Maybe, if the light comes back, it blinds us so much that we cannot see again. I know for me, there have been periods in my life that the darkness had so enveloped me that I once had to consciously and physically remove myself from those experiences of darkness to return to light. No matter what, we are called to cling to the hope of our faith in the midst of the darkness.
On a day when our reading addresses the darkness we may encounter on our journey, the saint of the day is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. So many around the world admired Mother Teresa for her love and mercy for the poor. I read an article that was entitled “Mother Teresa: A Saint who Conquered the Darkness.” After her death, Mother Teresa’s letters revealed that, except for one short period, she had been afflicted with a deep sense of God’s absence, a period that lasted almost 50 years. Those who admired Mother Teresa for her work with the poor and as a woman of great faith were confused at this description of her spiritual darkness. What did Teresa’s long stay in the spiritual wilderness mean? Was she a victim of depression? Had she lost faith in God? What gave her the inner strength to carry on even when she anguished over feelings of God abandoning her? In studying what happened to Mother Teresa, it appears not to be depression or a loss of faith, but a dark night that was also a period of great spiritual development for her. Other saints such as John of the Cross have recounted their own experiences of darkness in their relationships with God. In her darkness, she shared in Christ’s passion and suffering. May the prayers and intercessions of Mother Teresa help us to see the light in the midst of the darkness.
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