Journeying With Christ: The Coptic Month of Kiahk of the Nativity FastSýnishorn

Week 4 Theme: The Birth of St. John the Forerunner

Day 6: The Light in the Darkness

As we continue our journey with Christ, we come to a day of reflection on the transformative power of God's light in our lives. In today's reading, St. Zacharias' prophecy speaks of St. John the Forerunner as the one who would prepare the way for the Lord, bringing light to those living in darkness. This serves as a powerful reminder for us to contemplate the significance of God's light dispelling the darkness of sin in our own lives and let us be encouraged to embrace the true Light, who is Christ, and to walk in His truth, sharing His love with others.

The world we live in is often shrouded in darkness - a darkness that stems from sin, brokenness, and the absence of God's light but in the birth of St. John the Forerunner, a ray of hope pierced through the darkness - at the time of his martyrdom he became the first one to preach the good news with those in Hades! The forerunner of Christ, St. John was called to prepare the path and hearts for the coming of the Savior. St. John the Forerunner says, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). St. John's humility and selflessness exemplified a life lived in the light of Christ, where the focus shifted from himself to the One who is the Light of the world. St. Ambrose of Milan, an Early Church Father, beautifully expresses this when he says, "Open wide your door to the One who comes. Open your soul, throw open the depths of your heart to see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the sweetness of grace. Open your heart and run to meet the Sun of eternal light that illuminates all men".

We, too, are called to be bearers of God's light in a darkened world. Just as St. John prepared the way for Christ, we are called to prepare the hearts of those around us by shining the light of God's truth and love. The love of Christ both wounds and heals; it inflames where it strikes and soothes where it soothes. In our interactions, may our love be transformative, bringing healing and restoration to those we encounter.

The light of Christ not only exposes the darkness but also guides us on our journey with Him and when we walk in His light, we walk in truth and righteousness. When we journey with Him, our heart is illumined by His truth and the warmth of His love". The light of Christ illuminates our path, revealing His truth and guiding us to live lives that are pleasing to Him. As we journey with Christ, may we continually seek His light, allowing it to shape our thoughts, words, and actions.

Walking in the light of Christ also entails sharing His love with others. In a world that often promotes division and hatred, we are called to be agents of unity and compassion. St. Clement of Alexandria reminds us, "He who truly loves his neighbor as himself, will not only not harm him, but will even suffer for him, if need be" The proof of love is in the works for where love exists, it works great things but when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist. Let us actively demonstrate God's love through our actions, reaching out to the marginalized, offering a helping hand to the needy, and speaking words of encouragement and kindness to those around us.

In our journey with Christ, let us be mindful of the light He brings into our lives. May we humbly decrease as His light increases, surrendering ourselves to His transformative work. Let us walk in the truth and righteousness He reveals, allowing His light to guide us on the path of faith and as we encounter darkness in the world, may we share His love abundantly, becoming beacons of hope and agents of reconciliation.