Years ago when I was out of the seminary, I lived in a parish in Maryland. A priest from the parish who is a good friend of mine asked me to give a talk on chastity to his men’s group. It was their first meeting; he was hoping for 5 or 6 guys. I told him yes and asked what day and time. He said it was that Saturday morning at 7:30. I replied, “7:30? Isn’t that a little early? Ok, I’ll do it”. So, I drove up that Saturday morning and there were tons of cars in the parking lot. I was thinking, ‘what else is going on at this parish at 7:30 in the morning?’ I walked in to the meeting room – there were 75 men there! I couldn’t believe it and neither could the priest. So, I gave my talk on chastity. I was very direct and specific about the struggles that men have in living sexual purity. The guys who ranged in age from 15 to 70 had their jaws on the ground. They couldn’t believe that we were discussing these things and that they were not alone in their struggle. This group was so good for them to get stuff out into the open; to bring what was in darkness to the light.
When I was at my last parish, several women came to me for spiritual direction or guidance or advice. Almost all of them were in very tough marriages. A couple of them were being verbally abused every day by their husbands and sometimes physically abused. I told them a few times to get out for their safety and the safety of their kids. But, they stayed, mainly thinking that was better for their kids. I decided to get them together for a woman’s prayer group. We met once a month, and just like the men’s group, it was very helpful and healing for them. It was so good to talk to others about their darkness and to hear from the other women.
There was one who was not happy with these two groups: the devil. He doesn’t want us talking about our darkness…our sin…our problems. He wants us to keep them in private and in secret…keep them swept under the rug. He knows that if we remain in darkness, we will die. Picture a greenhouse that has no light coming in. The plants will die! It’s not just that they won’t grow, they will die. So, it is with our souls – if we remain in darkness, our souls will die along with our spirits and our hopes. This is what the devil wants. He doesn’t want our “acts of darkness…exposed by the light”, as St. Paul writes in tonight’s second reading. He doesn’t want us to bring our darkness to the light which is Christ. He doesn’t want us going to prayer groups or discussion groups or FOCUS Bible studies. He certainly does not want us going to Confession. All of these are ways to bring our darkness to Christ. “The light (Christ) produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth”.
Each one of us either has our own significant acts of darkness or is dealing with them from others. We might be inclined to ask, “why?” For our own acts of darkness, we might ask, ‘why do I keep choosing to do this?’ or ‘why is this in my life?’ In dealing with darkness in general, we might ask, ‘Why is God allowing this to happen?’ The Lord gives a poignant answer to all of these questions in the long form of today’s Gospel. The disciples ask Him if the man is born blind because of his sin or because of his parents’ sin. Basically, they are asking, ‘why is he this way?’ “Jesus answered, ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him”. So that the works of God may be made visible through him. The works of God are made visible through the blind man and in a big way. His blindness is cured and he can see! God works a miracle before him and so many others. This work of God led the man to believe in Jesus…hopefully led others who witnessed it as well. The man believed because he witnessed a work of God. He knew he didn’t do it. It was the power of God made visible through him.
It happens in the same way with us. When we bring the darkness we are dealing with to the light, big things can happen….the works of God can be made visible through us. When an alcoholic starts living sobriety, it is the work of God. When a frequent pornographer and masturbator starts living chastity, it is the work of God. When persons in same-sex relationships start living chaste celibacy, it is the work of God. When an abused woman brings her darkness to the light, it is the work of God. These people don’t have the power to do these huge things on their own. This is what the blind man realized, and this is what we realize when it happens to us. God allows acts of darkness so that His power will be made visible through us when we bring them to the light.
Finally, spiritual darkness. Some of the saints have experienced this on a deep level; it’s called the “dark night of the soul”. But, for many people, spiritual darkness means coming to Mass and feeling nothing. Some of you might come to Eucharistic Adoration or Confession and nothing happens internally. Now, folks, it’s not about feelings. We don’t come here to get a particular feeling; we come here to worship God. But, if this is what’s going on with you, I ask you to keep coming to the light. Keep coming to the light, and I promise you, God will make His light and presence visible to you in some way. Keep coming to the light so that God’s works may be made visible through you, especially His works of love and mercy during Lent.
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