Another Perspective

Holy darkness, blessed night
Heaven's answer hidden from our sight
As we await you, o God of silence
We embrace your holy night

~ Holy Darkness by Dan Schutte, inspired by St. John of the Cross ~

I found this song in the Breaking Bread a few months ago. The title, Holy Darkness, was noteworthy for me. So I decided to take a look at the song and sang it.

... marvelous.

Dan Schutte's works are always of superb and ear-friendly tune. Take a glance at Here I Am Lord, City of God, or Though the Mountains May Fall, and listen to them. They are beautiful works of a composer. Aside from the tonal works, what made me compelled to reflect was primarily the lyrics of Holy Darkness.

Darkness.

Everyone seemed to think of it as a negative word. True, as for me, I don't like darkness as well, since darkness can and will discomfort me very badly. People frequently associate darkness with something bad, evil, horrible, you name it.

This song pierces through our cognizance about darkness. It's simply an exact opposite from what we have in mind.

Just reading the refrain makes me reflect...

He's there to comfort us whenever we are sad.
He's there to lift us whenever we are depressed.
He's there to be our hope whenever we are desperate.
He's there to die on the cross for our sins.

Basically, He's always there in our hours of darkness. So, why should we fear and feel discomforted by darkness? Maybe because in darkness we don't know where to go. Our senses don't work as they're supposed to. We lose direction. But that doesn't mean we lose our faith!

Let me jump to the song's fourth verse.

In your deepest hour of darkness
I will give you wealth untold
When the silence stills your spirit
Will my riches fill your soul

This particular verse brings to us yet another reason why we shouldn't think of darkness as an unpleasant issue. It strongly implies that He does not leave us even in its totality.

We often think whenever we are in darkness, He forsakes us and is unwilling to help.

And now I know that it's wrong...

As we struggle in darkness, He struggles to help us...

And tries to comfort us in its silence.

Just remember that He made darkness to negate us of our daily anxieties, so that we may rest relaxedly. It's not meant to have us be frightened or freaked out.

So, Loving God, we thank you for your holy darkness.

God bless you all ^_^