The Eighteenth Day of Advent: Overcome the Darkness

In today’s first reading from Isaiah, God says, “Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let the skies drop it down. Let the earth open and salvation bud forth; let justice spring up! I, the Lord, have created this.”

Beautiful words from our God. And yet, in our world, the Deceiver relentlessly distorts the truth, making sin look attractive. The culture propagates his lies. “Porn doesn’t hurt anyone. Abortion solves your ‘problem.’”

With the Responsorial Psalm, we pray, “Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior. I will hear what God proclaims; the Lord—for he proclaims peace to his people.

And yet, Satan carries on: “Why not be ‘loving’ and call same-sex unions, marriages? Why go to Mass on Sundays? Worship at the altar of the NFL!”

Today’s Psalm continues: “Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and truth shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

But Darkness persists: “Hey, his truth may not be your truth. Respect only yourself. Justice and peace? Don’t let people preach to you.”

In today’s Gospel of Luke, Jesus says, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense in me.”

As we prepare in this Advent for the coming of the Lord, let us pray that through Him, we may overcome the darkness, and give witness to Him, the Light.

Zip Rzeppa, author of For A Greater Purpose, executive director of Mater Media