The Rising Sun of joy and justice lights the way that leads to peace.

As the day descends from heaven, so does love that sets us free.

The Rising Sun ~ Tony Alonzo

Yesterday morning I left Dayton before dawn to travel down to San Antonio to lead a women's retreat for St. Mary's University. On the flight from Dayton to Newark I was busy working on presentations and thinking about the retreat.

I sat on the side of the plane with one row of seats, so the window was to my immediate left. It was very dark out. As I was working on my laptop something drew my attention to the opposite set of windows to my right. And as I looked out I was amazed by what I saw. I immediately opened another Word document and started typing...

My flight left Dayton at 6:05am bound for Newark-Liberty Airport… on my way to San Antonio for the St. Mary’s Univ. women’s retreat. I was busy listening to David Kauffman’s version of the Magnificat and preparing my presentations… The window to my left in my immediate vision was darkness… some city lights down below. Then I looked across the isle to the right side of the plane, looking for inspiration, perhaps … I was reflecting on the Annunciation and the ways that God calls to us in life. And I saw an amazing sight… A bright red horizon… fading up into a beautiful orangey-yellow line of light… that became a vivid blue. Out the left side of the plane – darkness… out the right side – bright, beautiful color.

And isn’t that the way life is sometimes. Looking at a situation sometimes we only allow ourselves to see the darkness – the fact that light is absent and we cannot see our way. And then God breaks in, turning our faces in a different direction… and there is light and hope once more.

It was several minutes before light came to the left side. And as the light was spreading all around the plane, the original bright horizon was no less bright for sharing the light.

Now, I know enough about science to know the reasons why the horizon on the right did not dim as light filled the sky… and why the darkness on the left seemed so absolute. However, this morning I choose not to focus on the science, but on the mystery.

How often is it in life that we get stuck with our limited perspective – seeing the darkness of one side… unable to see the beauty of God’s light breaking in… if only we would turn our faces towards it. Or unable to believe that from darkness so deep and absolute, light does eventually shine. No darkness is so absolute as to swallow hope. It just takes a certain perspective. That of Jesus…

Many blessings to all who read this!

Sr. N