Friday, November 27, 2020
Light Overcomes the Darkness
We know the story of Samson and Delilah well. He the child whose birth an angel announces to a barren woman and who is reared with devotion. She a Philistine woman with the power to bewitch and who uses any means to achieve her goal. When we read this familiar story slowly, we will find many twists and turns left out of the abbreviated version we usually hear, and these turnings will give us the opportunity to reflect on the parts of our own lives that might mirror the fortunes and failures of this complicated story.
We see Samson as the clever solver of riddles who visits harlots, a warrior of incredible strength who wishes to marry outside of his tribe. We see him rise to fame and power and we also see him stumble and fall into a mockery of his former self.
We watch Delilah enter into Samson’s confidence to exact his secret for a price, using any trick or deception to gain the tightly held information. In her campaign to learn about his power, Delilah says to Samson, How can you say that you love me when you do not confide in me? She chooses her words well because Samson took her completely into his confidence and told her.
There is a part in each of us that identifies with both Samson and Delilah. There is betrayal, deception, anger and revenge. And there is also a strength and light that persists despite the darkness.
As we approach the Advent season, a time of year when we celebrate the arrival of a new light into a world of darkness, we will want to prepare ourselves for the gift of truth and openness that Christ brings. With the dawning of this great awakening, let us examine our way of living and resolve to put away any darkness that leads us away from God, and let us welcome the light that is Christ.
Let us petition God for greater fidelity to our covenant promise to walk with Christ.
Let us petition God for deeper courage to remain steadfast in Christ.
Let us petition God for Samson-like strength to choose life that unites and enlightens rather than death that divides and scatters.
Let us petition God for the light that we know will overcome all darkness, no matter how deep, no matter how intense.
And let us remain in this light of Christ always, for it is the only power that overcomes the dark.
Adapted from a reflection written on November 25, 2009.
Image from: https://www.wga.hu/html_m/s/stom/samson.html
The Noontimes 