Darkness Is Not Dark

Darkness and light are often understood as opposites, canceling each other out. We imagine light-filled stars and galaxies on one hand, and dark, empty spaces on the other. But is darkness truly empty?

Modern physics suggests otherwise. Scientists tell us that absolute darkness does not exist. Even what we call “empty space” is not truly empty. Physicist Brian Greene explains that space is filled with fluctuating energy fields; some form of energy is always present, even in the deepest vacuum of the universe. In other words, light or energy persists even where we cannot see it.

Our experience of darkness has more to do with the limits of human perception than with the absence of light. Under ideal conditions, the human eye needs about five to seven photons to detect light. When fewer photons reach our eyes, light may still be present physically, but we cannot perceive it. We name that experience darkness. Seen this way, darkness is not the absence of light; it is the boundary of our vision.

So darkness is not truly dark. It quietly holds light within it.

This scientific insight opens a powerful spiritual reflection. In human life, darkness often becomes a metaphor for suffering, uncertainty, grief, and despair. Yet if there is no absolute darkness in the universe, perhaps there is no situation entirely devoid of hope. Light may be present even when we cannot yet see it.

The psalmist expresses this truth with striking clarity:
“Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day” (Psalm 139:12).

What appears dark to us is never dark to God. God sees light where we see only pain, possibility where we see only loss. When we rely solely on our limited understanding, darkness can overwhelm us. But when we trust that light is present—even beyond our perception—we begin to live with courage and hope.

Because darkness is not truly dark, we need not fear it. If we look patiently and attentively, especially with the eyes of faith, we may discover that light has been present all along.

What part of your life feels dark right now?
Can you hold it gently, trusting that light is already there, waiting to be seen?

Notes

Greene, B. (2011). The Hidden Reality. Knopf.

-----------------------------------

Darkness Is Not Dark.

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage:

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2026/01/darkness-is-not-dark.html

 🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/sFs29tMC9TA

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/pWV_AMUIN4U

Share with someone who might benefit from this reflection!

 

God of Many Faces

Most of us grow up within a single, largely homogeneous culture. This shared context gives us language, rituals, beliefs, and a sense of belonging. Such rootedness is often essential for stability and growth. Yet, when we remain confined within familiar boundaries, we may unintentionally close ourselves off from the richness that other cultures, traditions, and experiences offer.

Over time, this limitation can quietly turn into distance, suspicion, or even fear of those who are different from us. What begins as comfort can become separation. When differences are misunderstood, they may be perceived as threats rather than gifts. 

A deeper spiritual reflection invites us to see otherwise. God is not a God of one face, one culture, or one expression. God is a God of many faces, present in all people and revealed through diverse histories, temperaments, and ways of being. Franciscan friar Richard Rohr captures this truth beautifully: 

“The fact that God has given us so many different faces and temperaments and emotions and histories shows us how God honors each unique journey and culture. God is not threatened by differences. It’s we who are.”

From the very beginning, Scripture affirms this diversity as sacred. “God created humankind in God’s image” (Genesis 1:27)—not a single image, but a shared reflection spread across humanity. Each person reveals something unique about God’s nature: compassion, strength, tenderness, resilience, wisdom, creativity.

Throughout history, God has been at work in people of different cultures, times, and backgrounds—women and men who, in their own contexts, reflected divine love. To say that God has many faces is not to divide God, but to recognize the fullness of God revealed through human diversity. Perhaps this is why Jesus prayed so earnestly for unity: “That they may all be one” (John 17:21). Unity, here, is not sameness. It is a communion that honors difference while holding all together in love.

In a world where fear and self-interest often exploit differences to divide, God gently invites us to look again—to recognize God’s face in every person. When we do so, we move from suspicion to solidarity, from fear to reverence.

For God is, indeed, a God of many faces—and every face is intrinsically holy.

 Notes

Rohr, R. (2003). Everything belongs: The gift of contemplative prayer. A Crossroad Book. 

________________

God of Many Faces

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage: 

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2026/01/god-of-many-faces.html

🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/fhvqFf4DSQs

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/qlm02a49VNM

Read, listen, watch—then comment and share!

Life Is Larger Than Death

Have you ever allowed yourself to think about death—not with fear, but with quiet curiosity? For many, death is a subject wrapped in anxiety and avoidance. Yet, when approached gently, it also reveals itself as a profound mystery. Perhaps we cannot truly understand life unless we are willing to sit, even briefly, with the reality of death. Are life and death really opposites, or is that a misunderstanding born of fear?

The Christian funeral liturgy offers a consoling truth: “Life is not ended with death; it is merely changed.” These words do not deny grief, but they gently widen our horizon. Interestingly, science echoes this same wisdom. Physics reminds us that at the deepest level, everything—living and non-living alike—is energy. And energy does not disappear; it only changes form. In this shared insight, spirituality and science converge, pointing to the same reality: death is not the end of life.

Death, then, is not the opposite of life. It is only the opposite of birth. Life itself is far greater than any single beginning or ending. We do not bring life into existence simply by being here; rather, we exist because life already flows through us. Life was before us, life sustains us now, and life will continue beyond us. Death has no final authority over life.

From a Franciscan heart, this truth feels natural. God is Life. There can be no other source. And if God is life, what power could possibly extinguish God? Death is not annihilation but transformation—a passage into another way of being held by the same divine love. People are born, people die, yet Life continues.

Perhaps this is why Saint Francis could name death Sister, not enemy. When fear loosens its grip and trust deepens, death loses its terror. It becomes a doorway rather than a wall. On the other side of that doorway, Life—larger, deeper, and unbroken—continues in God.

Life Is Larger Than Death Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage: 📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot... 🎧 Audio:    • Life Is Larger Than Death (Audio)   🎥 Video:    • Life Is Larger Than Death   

Read, listen, watch—then comment and share! 

Joy Begins with Presence

Presence is more than simply being there. It is a way of attending—to God, to ourselves, and to others—that gently opens the heart to a deep and lasting joy. Psychology, Scripture, and spiritual wisdom all point to the same truth: when our scattered attention is gathered into the present moment, joy becomes not something we chase, but something we receive.

Being present to God lies at the heart of spiritual joy. Scripture reminds us, “In your presence there is fullness of joy”(Psalm 16:11). This joy is not excitement or emotional comfort; it is a quiet gladness that flows from staying with God. Simple practices such as silent prayer, meditative reading of Scripture, or repeating a short prayer—“Lord Jesus Christ, you are with me”—help us rest in God here and now. Christian tradition calls this practicing the presence of God, a way of living that offers courage in suffering and a joy not dependent on circumstances.

Being present to oneself is equally important. Psychology shows that gentle awareness of the present moment reduces emotional reactivity and increases well-being. When we notice our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations with compassion, we become less ruled by fear and more open to simple joys. For Christians, this is not self-absorption but honest self-awareness before God. Like the Psalmist, we bring our whole heart—joy and pain alike—into prayer, trusting that nothing within us is outside God’s care.

Being present to others completes the circle. Henri Nouwen spoke of the ministry of presence as the willingness to be with others without trying to fix or explain. This kind of attentive, nonjudgmental presence can be deeply healing. Psychology affirms this wisdom: genuine, empathic relationships are among the strongest sources of human happiness, and such care is communicated less through advice and more through undivided attention.

Joy, then, is not something we pursue directly. It grows quietly as we learn to stay—present to God who loves us, to our own hearts with compassion, and to others with humble attention. Where presence deepens, joy begins.

Presence is the soil where joy quietly grows.

 

Notes

Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and psychological well-being.
https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2003_BrownRyan.pdf

American Psychological Association. (2012). What are the benefits of mindfulness?
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner

Nouwen, H. J. M. (2009). The healing power of presence. Shalem Institute.
https://shalem.org/2009/01/14/the-healing-power-of-presence-a-visit-with-henri-nouwen/

The Gospel Coalition. (2024). How to find joy in God’s presence.
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-to-find-joy-in-gods-presence/

Well-Watered Women. (2023). Rejoicing in God’s presence.
https://wellwateredwomen.com/rejoicing-in-gods-presence/

Joy Begins With Presence.

Explore this theme in three different formats—each offering a unique way to reflect and engage:

📄 Article: https://lifespring-wholeness.blogspot.com/2026/01/joy-begins-with-presence.html

 🎧 Audio: https://youtu.be/B9caf9_hE9Y

🎥 Video: https://youtu.be/mCc1kNi7-ss