light/dark

There  are parts of the city that only come alive at night.  Dingy and miserable during the day, they flash and glitter at night.  There are places where everything that happens is in the murky semi-darkness, as if we are ashamed of what we are doing.  

There are also bright day-time places where we do brilliant deals and shine at making money go round.  Offices, coffee shops, boutiques, stores ... everything happening in the bright light of day, or at least electric lights, and we feel pretty good about ourselves.  

But spiritual light is more demanding.  It shines in behind success or failure; it asks different questions.  John recorded for us his spiritual journey as he accompanied someone who was 'the light'.  He observed:  "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  All those who do evil hate the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed."
Spiritual life is not a compartment of esoteric experience; it irrevocably and relentlessly connect with everything we are and everything we do.