Two monks agreed to climb all the way up the side
of one of Maui’s volcanic mountains—with a guide and with friends, and then
climb down into the crater itself. No one had mentioned the great dark cave at
the other end of the crater floor. It was a “lava tube,” formed when a huge
molten stream began to cool and harden on the outside while the inside
continued to flow out, which left a tube.
The monks were ushered into this tube/cave,
following trustingly. After a few curves and reverses, there was no morsel of
natural light left in the cave, only one electric bulb, their salvation. They
settled down on various rocks by its light. Then the guide clicked off the
bulb. Yes. He warned the visitors ahead of time, very kindly and all, but the
words “put out the light” did not sound comforting to their ears.
Deep, unrelieved darkness settled around them and
around everything else. Eyes open, eyes closed, it was all the same. No light,
no shadow, no least glow. Obviously they felt trapped and afraid, lost in a
strange place, their eyes put out. But the result was just the opposite.
Against all reason, they felt great: great rest, great peace. “I’ll turn the
light back on now,” the guide whispered after several minutes, but everyone
halted him. “No, no, leave it off. Give us more time.” The visitors sat,
unseeing, united, consoled by the warmth and depth of absolute night. When the
tiny little bulb did finally return, their eyesight surprised them. Seeing was
like a memory that had slipped away. The dark had formed a resting place, it
seems, in which their souls re-charged, their eyes recovered their innocence.
In this coming Sunday’s Gospel, the people hunger for light like this. “Are you
the light?” they shout to John the Baptist. Will you “bring glad tidings to the
poor, healing to the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and
release the prisoners” I am only pointing you toward the light, the Baptist
said. He will be here soon. Hold on to my arm. Have you found an arm to hold onto?
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are
afraid of the darkness of their lives. When you have been deprived for a long,
long time, even one speck of light will change everything. A tiny child might
provide it on Chrsitmas Eve! Have you found an arm to hold onto?
