CAN IT GET ANY DARKER?
by Rev. Dr. Richard F. Ward
I tell this story because the climax of its plot happens
In the darkest part of the night, between 3–6 in the morning.
It tells us that the disciples have endured a long long night
Of being beaten and battered by a force of nature.
They feel helpless in its grip, and they are afraid of it.
I have been holding these images in prayer these days.
I too have felt beaten and battered not only by fear of a virus
But by every daily outrage, every spike in the number of cases,
By every report of a rising death toll and the fear of having to endure
Four more years—and maybe more—I wonder:
“Can the night get any darker?
Can the temperature of our outrage
And fear rise any higher?”
I recently read an article that made the claim:
Americans are suffering from political exhaustion.
That seems about right.
This story reminds us that God has a good sense of timing. Precisely at the moment when the disciples are overwhelmed
Jesus comes towards them, unhindered by a force of nature
Or even by human disbelief.
He comes to them in a way they don’t
Recognize at first. But he comes towards them anyway—
Like I believe he is coming towards us as he does in the story.
First with the assurance—yes, it really is Jesus the Christ—coming
In a manner that we don’t recognize at first
even in a way that defies belief—then with an invitation—
don’t be afraid to take that first step—
Go ahead—make that call to the senator—
go on that march—
Give the neighbor a call to remind them to vote—
even go stand in line
To vote yourself—proudly display the yard sign—
make another contribution—rest assured that a move towards justice
Is a move towards the Christ
What if you start to move in Jesus’ direction
but then you start to sink in fear and despair
when the polls come out and the returns start coming in?
Don’t worry, says the story, Christ will be there to lift you up.
The Rev. Dr. Richard Finley Ward is an American storyteller and the Fred B. Craddock Professor of Preaching at Phillips Theological Seminary. He has held prior positions at Candler School of Theology, Yale Divinity School, and Iliff School of Theology. He is an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ.
