In the Creation account, the earth came first. And, on this first day, to dispel the darkness, so also came…

Light.

St. Augustine of Hippo said that darkness is the evil, the absence of light, or Good. That without light, there could be no darkness. There is a Sufi parable about a cave and the sun. They are trying to understand each other, so they set up a visit, each in their place. The cave visits the sun, and once there, remarks that “there is a remarkable, amazing difference.” But when the sun visits the cave, he remarks that “I see no

difference.’’And so, the light overcomes the darkness. Every time.

Where there is light, there can be no darkness. The prophet Micah talks about the Lord shining his face upon you. The angel on high, when appearing to the shepherds that one cold night, brought forth a great light, as “the glory of the Lord shone round about them,”and told them “Do not be afraid.’’ Even after, Cousin Johnny said he himself was not the light, but rather the witness to the light, the true light that was to come.

The guy whose birth we will soon celebrate knew a little bit about light. He told people that “I am the light of the world.” “Don’t hide your light under the bushel basket.’” “Be a lamp unto the world.” “Let your light shine before men.”

Light.

Going on right now, today at sunset and continuing until the end of December, is a thing called The Great Conjunction. No, not a grammatical term, but a stellar phenomenon that involves the planets Jupiter and Saturn aligning on the horizon in the southwest sky just after sunset. Their angles will almost converge, forming a single stream, with the greatest visibility coming on the Winter solstice of Dec. 21. Some say it has been over 800 years since this has happened. Gee, couldn’t come at

a better time, I’m sayin’.

Maybe it means a little something more, this year of Christmas 2020. God knows, it has been a dark one. So much chaos and evil out there, from politics to pandemic. Truth has taken a beating, far less an absolute than ever in my lifetime. Lying, the new normal and a darkness of its own, has taken on many new forms. Truth, only one. Lying is darkness. Truth is light. Will this light to come symbolize a turn from the illness, physical and spiritual, that has befallen us? Will it be a harbinger of a new direction for us all, worldwide and in our country?

When I walk into a room at night, the first thing I do is flip on the light. Colored bulbs shimmer and shine all around us this time of year. Fireplaces crackle and glow, giving comfort and peace. Light casts away the darkness, dispels the evil, alleviates the fear, provides solace to the body, and to the soul.

So, look to the sky for the light from the planet’s conjunction as a sign, perhaps. For soon, there will come the commemoration of The Light of the World.

That Light who can drive out the darkness, most especially from a year that has had more than its share.