Transforming Darkness: Lessons from the Cross
Picture this: a cozy campfire, kids buzzing with excitement, everyone crafting their perfect foil-packet dinner. Sauces fly—ketchup, mustard, and a hefty dose of Sriracha. The packets sizzle, and anticipation builds. Then, my brother-in-law Aaron opens his, and whoosh—a Sriracha plume escapes, stinging eyes and sparking coughs across the campsite. Aaron, blissfully unaware, munches in peace while the rest of us choke and laugh. It’s a hilarious memory, but it mirrors a deeper truth: we often spread pain without realizing it, just like that spicy cloud.
In life, we humans tend to handle our pain, anger, or darkness in two ways: we transmit it or transfer it. Transmitting is like passing a yawn in a room—one person’s anxiety or guilt spreads to others, rippling through families or friends. Transferring, though, is scapegoating—placing our darkness onto someone else to ease our burden. Think of the Sriracha plume: it didn’t just sting us; it drifted to neighboring camps, causing chaos. We do this unknowingly, but Jesus’ story on the cross shows us a better way: transformation.
In John’s Gospel, four portraits of Jesus’ death and resurrection reveal how to transform our darkness. First, in John 19:25, Jesus and his mother Mary stand at the cross, bearing immense pain without passing it on. They carry it, exhausting its power instead of fueling revenge. Second, when a soldier pierces Jesus’ side (John 19:34), blood and water flow, echoing his first miracle of turning water to wine. Jesus doesn’t return evil; he converts darkness into goodness, love, and forgiveness. Third, John quotes, “They will look on the one they have pierced” (John 19:37), forcing us to see our role in scapegoating. It’s a mirror to our own struggles, urging us to stop blaming others. Finally, in John 20:24-29, Jesus meets doubting Thomas, showing his wounds not to shame but to restore. Through his scars, Jesus offers new life, healing us and breaking the cycle of pain.
Jesus’ words, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing” (Luke 23:34), remind us we’re all capable of causing harm unaware. But we don’t have to stay stuck. We can choose to carry our pain like Mary, convert it into love like Jesus, confront our darkness, or find restoration through his wounds. Which of these portraits speaks to you? Maybe you need forgiveness, or perhaps you’re ready to stop transmitting pain and start transforming it.
As a community, let’s write a new story, one where darkness becomes light, and pain births beauty. Happy Easter, friends. Let’s live this resurrection hope together.
With love, Pastor George