Wellspring UMC; Third Sunday in Eastertide; April 22, 2007; “True Sight”:

-Acts 9: 1-20

I begin today with powerful words from the seminary professor James T. Dennison, Jr., (http://www.kerux.com/documents/KeruxV02N2A3.asp , “Paul on the Damascus Road”), which encapsulate the kind of hope that we lean into in the midst of dark times. In this writing I am struck by the starkness of light versus darkness, and how God works through darkness and light to bring sight and new life. Listen.

“Light shined on the Damascus Road. Brilliant light broke forth; light from the realm of glory burst upon the midday hour; light ineffable, light [radiant]; light from the light-maker. And the light shined in the darkness.

Darkness walked upon the Damascus Road. Black darkness, deep darkness, darkness full of dread and chaos; darkness blinded, darkness from the prince of darkness.

Let there be light!

And from that light comes darkness; eye-blind darkness. What darkness this is! Marvelous darkness, wonderful darkness! Darkness which turns to light. By means of light – through the light – out of the light, comes darkness. Darkness before the dawn; dark night of the soul about to awaken with the coming of the light; dark blindness which is eyesight (insight) for the first time. Light of glory drives out darkness. Light-maker shines upon the darkness.

Let there be sight!

He who was present in the beginning is present on the Damascus Road. He who was there at the creation is there at midday. And says, ‘Let there be light!’ He who was present in the beginning is present on the Damascus Road. He who was there at creation is there at midday, and says, ‘Behold a new creation!’” He who was there in the beginning is present on the Damascus Road. He who was there at the creation is there at midday, and says, “Let there be sight...true sight.”

In the wake of the events of this week there are so many questions, and so few answers. So much pain, and so much loss. So much darkness...so much blinding, blinding darkness. In the midst of Damascus road experiences, it is dark.

Though the news that Seung-Hui Cho was mentally ill explains a bit, it still does not assuage our fear or anger or pain. Though a campus, state, country and world unite together in grief, remembering, and trying to put the pieces together again, there are still 33 less people on this earth and countless others whose lives have been changed forever. There is so much darkness...so much blinding darkness.

Many of us have heard this story of Paul’s conversion before. This is one of three accounts of Paul’s conversion found in the Bible, and each time if we listen and place ourselves into the pages of history, it is blindingly powerful.

Here is THE persecutor of the early Christians, and his reputation precedes him. Earlier in the book of Acts he ordered the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Then the killers placed their robes at Saul’s feet before throwing the first stone. Today we enter the story with Saul meeting with the high priest to receive letters which he will take with him to the synagogues in Damascus. Letters to bolster their resolve, giving permission to flesh out Christ followers. His mission was to squash those who proclaim Jesus as Messiah...to silence anyone who speaks of Jesus’ resurrection.

Pharisees were trained that when the resurrection comes, all will be changed. The world will be turned upside down and everyone will know that it is the end of the age. That had not happened...at least not as they expected.

Saul headed down that road ‘breathing threats and murder against the disciples.” The embodiment of darkness, was intent to kill. But along the way, in the midst of the darkness, light. Blinding light. Light and voice joined together. Light and voice from the very one whose followers Saul was out to destroy.

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?...I am Jesus whom you are persecuting; get up and enter the city and you will be told what to do.”

Slapped to the ground, in a flash, everything was turned upside down. All that he knew, all that he believed, all the natural ways of doing things and handling life were changed in an instant. What was before was now gone. Now, only darkness and questions.

Can you imagine what it would have been like for him to be led into the city blind? All that he could see before was gone. Complete, utter darkness for three days. Entombed in his mind and body, he sat, prayed, reflected, and heard that voice over and over again, “Saul, why do you persecute me?” He sat, prayed and reflected, remembering that blinding light...that moment when everything changed. He sat, prayed, and reflected upon his life...hoping for sight.

We’ve faced dark days before, and far too often. We’ve faced the darkness, and every time we’re reminded that when we’re forced to sit with the darkness, when something happens that impacts us profoundly, we are invited to accept an invitation to be changed. And the response is universal. Whether Christian, Muslim; agnostic or atheist, dark days force us to reflect upon life...our lives...and if we allow it, the darkness changes us.

As you’ve passed through this week, as this week has passed through you, what voices have you heard in the darkness? Has it been blinding? Does it make you step back and examine who you are? Where you’re going? If you are fulfilling God’s purpose for your life? What is God teaching us through the darkness?

It is in times like these that the call to live by Christ’s example can be most challenging, for we Christians find ourselves in a unique and awkward position. Christ followers believe that God loves all of His children. As followers of this Savior we understand that there are powers and principalities of this world that drive people to do things no one understands.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not at all justifying what happened nor saying that we just write it off as simply life. No, it is right for us to be angry and frustrated and afraid. It is right for us to name evil as evil. It is right for us to grieve, and it is right for us to sit in the midst of unanswered questions asking God, “Why?”

And yet the hard part comes when God speaks in that blinding darkness. When God places within our hearts the compassion of the One who died for all. The hard part comes when we begin to see what Christ sees – a broken, dark world, into which Christ keeps trying to break through. A broken world into which Christ breaks through through His disciples, like Ananias, you, and me...the Church.

Many of you know that my last assignment was in Centreville, the hometown of Seung-Hui Cho and two other young women whom he killed, all three of whom lived within a 2 mile radius of our home. As I checked in with friends there, they recounted knowing this young man when he was in high school, and how even then the administration was trying to get him help. I heard stories from those who had danced with Reema Samaha, and came to find out that, not only had one of the youth from the church danced with her, but that Erin Peterson lived just four doors down from that family. In calling them, I could feel the pain of disbelief and the struggle to navigate the darkness, but at the same time, in a twist which only God could provide, I also received a word of hope...light, sight in the darkness.

I spoke with the head of the missions program at the church, and she said, “God is in this in a powerful way.”

“I know God is,” I thought.

Then Barb said, “God already knew that there would be a need for healing...for light in dark times...because Seung-Hui Cho’s mother is a participant in our English as a Second Language classes.”

Soon after that I ran across Dennison’s words shared before. “In the midst of the darkness...the one who was there at creation remained at midday saying, “Let there be light.” In the dark pall over these families and this nation, “there is sight.” In the center of this tragedy, “Behold a new creation,” and that hope, that light, that sight, that new creation is revealed and lived out through Christ’s church.

Paul was blind for three days. He was helpless by himself, but God did not leave him that way. Instead, God sent a member of the way, a faithful brother in Christ named Ananias to take away that darkness and to remove the scales from Paul’s eyes. Paul, the enemy, had to have a representative of Christ make him whole.

Ananias was scared to go for he knew Saul’s reputation. He knew what Saul could do, and yet he listened to God and followed. He was so in tune with Christ and understood the call to care for all, that he did what Christ commanded. Out of darkness came light. Light for Saul, light for the disciples with whom Saul now served, light for the world to whom Paul gave his life so the Gospel would be fulfilled. There as Ananias removed the scales from Paul’s eyes, the Church was the church in all it’s glory, and an example to all.

It is amazing how Christ can work through the darkness, for after the darkness, not only did Paul receive true sight, but so did Ananias. After the darkness not only did Paul receive the eyes of Christ, but so did the disciples who witnessed a miracle in their enemy becoming their strongest companion. After the blinding darkness, not only did the Apostle see the world and God’s people through the eyes of God, but he shared that vision with the world, and in doing so the people of God became the Body of Christ. The world was changed...shaped not by darkness, but by the blinding light of Christ which takes away all darkness and brings true sight which only Christ can give.

It’s amazing how Christ can work through the darkness, for always, always as we go through the darkness, Christ is with us. As we go through the darkness what emerges is light, true sight, and God’s new creation. God’s prayer is that we would realize and live into that truth. God’s desire is that we let times of darkness change our hearts and fill us with compassion, thus embodying the blinding love which is centered in Christ. God’s hope for us is that through that change, those who walk in deep darkness will see in us what they so desperately need, the Resurrected Lord.

I close today with a prayer for discernment which St. Francis’ of Assissi prayed daily. Let us pray: Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart, and give me right faith, certain hope, and perfect love, wisdom and understanding; that I may carry out your Holy and true command. Amen.