"Out of the darkness can come light"

The Princess of Wales closed her most recent health update with a message of hope to all those walking a similar road to her: “Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright.”

With the deepening of Autumn and lengthening of nights, it’s easy to feel the weight of the long nights pressing in. For many of us, this seasonal change will be an echo of personal challenges we may be navigating, or perhaps the broader struggles our world continues to face.

Princess Kate’s words remind us that it’s so often the darkest moments when the smallest glimmers of light shine the brightest. Whether it’s a kind text from a friend, a helping hand from a neighbour, or a glimpse of beauty in the world around us, there is light to be found.

Jesus came into the word with a promise that he would not just be a glimmer of light, but the “Light of the World” (John 8v12), coming to dispel the darkness once and for all. He continues by promising, “whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

This half-term in our churches, we will be celebrating this light with a Family Light Trail on Sunday 27^thOctober (details below). And in our All-Age services we will be thinking about what it means both to trust in the Light that Jesus brings and how - in a world where the shadows continue to linger - we can be part of letting that light shine bright.