We Must Share The Light

This world of ours has gotten very dark lately.  There is so much sadness, so much hatred and vitriol spewed forth in our news and entertainment media.  An outsider looking at this divided and antagonistic society would think we were beyond all hope.
And yet, there are positive voices out there.  There are people speaking out and reaching out in love and not hate, in seeking for solutions, and not seeking to fix blame.  We must nurture each other, and those voices of hope.  There are a few quotes that speak to my heart about times like this, and I would like to share them with you, and tell you why they speak to me.

First, is a quote from a television show that many dismissed as 'silly' or a "space opera".  Nearly fifty years later, Star Trek is still going strong, and still the original series is viewed by many, and words like these reach people who need to hear them.

This is from the episode "Who Mourns For Adonais?"  Kirk is trying to convince a crew member that her loyalty is to humanity and the crew, not the god Apollo.
     "We're the same.  We share the same history, the same heritage, the same lives.  We're tied together beyond any untying.  Man or woman, it makes no difference.  We're human.  We couldn't escape from each other even if we wanted to-that's how you do it, Lieutenant!  By remembering who and what you are!  A bit of flesh and blood afloat in a universe without end.  And the only thing that's truly yours is the rest of humanity.  That's where our duty lies!"

When you think about it, we are all more alike than we are different.  We all have feelings that get hurt.  We all have dreams and hopes, we have other people we love, and if we're lucky, people who love us.  The only thing that matters is that we are all human.  If we can learn to see the similarities while still appreciating the differences, then we might be able to survive.

Here's a quote from another TV show.  This one still has a dedicated fan base, but there have been no directly related series, no mini-series, no movies.  And yet, the fans persist.  Because there is something in this little television program that touches people deeply, if they are open to it.  The original TV series Beauty and the Beast, made from 1987-1990, was about love.  Love between an unusual man/beast and a beautiful woman.  It was also about human beings loving and accepting each other on many levels, about how people can learn to live together in harmony.  The show made great use of classical literature and music, it celebrated what human beings can do to make the world a more beautiful place.  The world Below, where Vincent, the so-called beast, lives because it is the only safe place for him, depends on a network of "helpers" in the world Above, who, as their name implies, help the people below by providing supplies or logistical help or whatever they can within reason.  The world Below is fairly self-sufficient, but they still need assistance in some areas.  This quote is from a ceremony that opens the annual celebration they call "Winterfest".

"We are all part of one another.  One family, one community.  Sometimes we forget that.  And so each year we meet here.  To thank those who have helped us, and to remember...even the greatest darkness is nothing, so long as we share the light."

Sharing the light is important.  We all have light within us, whether we feel like it or not.   Those of us who grew up in the Christian tradition know well the verse that says:
"Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."  (Matthew 5 :14-16) Light is not meant to be hidden away, it must shine out for all to see if it is to be of use.
Light is manifest in love, in the things we do because we have love.  Those who help feed the hungry, who care for the sick, who reach out to any other person, near or far, are sharing love, are sharing (and spreading) light.
I want to leave you with another quote.  One I read again today because this is Martin Luther King  Jr.'s birthday.  So much darkness was in his world, so much hate.  Yet he preached love in response to hate, peaceful resistance in response to violence.  He was looking to his faith for guidance in this.  He, like his savior, was ultimately killed for his opinions and his daring to live in love and light.
It is never easy to push back against hate with love, to force darkness back with our light, but we must try.  If you are a Christian, if you have another faith, or even if you don't consider yourself a person of any faith at all, you can love.  You MUST love.  It is the only way to survive.
Here is the quote from Dr. King:
" Returning hate for hate multiplies hate,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness;
Only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate;
Only love can do that."

Please God, help us share the light.  Teach us to love one another.