“Darkness can only be scattered by light. Hatred can only be conquered by love.” (Saint John Paul II)

Last time I wrote, I highlighted this quote:

“Let love be sincere; hate what is evil,
hold on to what is good.” (Romans 12:9)

And now that the big election is completed, it seems more poignant than it did before. As does St. JPII’s quote above. As Catholics, we were bombarded from multiple sides during these months leading up to election day and many of us undoubtedly felt like our faith was being tested. There were the ads, calls, texts, billboards from each candidate at every level. We had our Church leaders weighing in, as they should, to remind us what we believe in as Catholics. We had friends who had deep-seated feelings on both sides, and some were quite boisterous about their opinions, which caused strains in relationships. The constant onslaught of political opinions was mentally troubling. Personally, I didn’t get involved. I didn’t have a strong feeling one way or another in certain aspects. I know where my beliefs are and I came to an early realization that neither candidate was a fit for me. Just as Pope Francis and many others have alluded to or literally verbalized it was a choice between the lesser of two evils. However, I’m not sure when the last time that wasn’t the case. 

Now, there is so much hate. The gamut of emotions that I have witnessed proves that hate seems to be winning over love. We cannot cheer “love always wins” while still showing disdain and ire toward the people who voted for the winning candidate. You also can’t post quotes from Sacred Scripture, but then mock those who voted for the losing candidate. It is hypocritical. I am seeing sore losers and gloating winners, which are both unacceptable. Although no one is perfect and all feelings are real and valid, we cannot hate. We must love like Christ taught us. Hate is like death. It’s awful for us – emotionally, mentally, socially, spiritually – and it always hurts us more than it does the person or group it’s directed toward. There are many who are trying to push everyone to find joy in today, to be the light in the dark. On the surface, that is exactly how we are obligated to live, every day. My experience is that they tend to be more words than a life-guiding action. Many want to superficially show positivity, and yet, behind closed doors, they’re miserable and angry. We need to banish hate and fear, being the beacon of light and faith that society so desperately needs. “Darkness can only be scattered by light. Hatred can only be conquered by love.” (Saint John Paul II) God and our deep faith in Him should be our guide on this journey on Earth. The crucifix we gaze upon each time we walk into a catholic church is the epitome of love and light banishing darkness and hate. To embody this mentality, to bear witness as followers of Christ is how we truly banish hate with love.

The idea of hate and dark vs love and light made me consider St. John the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul, but in a more human-emotional way. For many people, present day feels like the living embodiment of Dark Night of the Soul. On one hand, this hellish imprisonment in the beginning, a feeling that the next four years will be rot with deprivation of rights and a lack of peace, stripped of any consolation. On the other hand, it is more like the end of his work, the post-night purification that was intense suffering, and those people wait until the new era can begin. Similar to the small window St. John of the Cross had in his cell, there is a small ray of light in the dark and damp. Understand that I do not believe either candidate is god-like or saint-like, but rather the deep and severe spectrum of emotions that I am seeing on social media appears reminiscent of that dark night, in a simple and emotional sense. I also realize that Saint John of the Cross didn’t mean the term “dark night” to be the daily, ordinary sufferings, but there is some truth to using his words within to help guide us today. I believe that in every Divine lesson, we can find a basic lesson to help us in our moment of human suffering. There is joy and there is sorrow in the decision of the election. But isn’t that how all life is? As adults we begin to learn to handle joy and sorrow with the same strength and faith that God has taught us, if we listen.

Yet – there is an important aspect of Dark Night of the Soul that should comfort us, regardless of how we are feeling today. As Christians we need to fully experience that purification, that “dark night”, a test of love & release via heavy trials and tribulations – exteriorly and interiorly, and eventually a Divine cleansing to make us perfect and free of our sins here on earth. John of the Cross gives us hope and comfort for when we feel we are entering into a “dark night”. He shows us that things on this earth are finite and need to be dispelled so that we can reach our ultimate prize, life forever in the Kingdom of Heaven. God is endless light and He is the beacon of light in the darkness that guides us on this journey, like the proverbial flashlight that we clutch when we enter an unfamiliar, dark place. As Saint Augustine wrote, “Our weakness weighs us down, but faith bears us up. We sorrow over the human condition, but find our healing in the divine promise.” The way we feel today, be it positive or negative, a sense of victory or defeat, is all human. Jesus Christ is still King, regardless of who is president of the USA. We need to take the lead from Saint John of the Cross: “I abandoned and forgot myself, laying my face on my Beloved; all things ceased; I went out from myself, leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.” May we come to Christ as we are, in all our sorrow or joy, anger or elation, especially if we are feeling a moment of that “dark night”, and ask Him to guide us and show us how to truly choose love over hate.