by Fr. Herb Weber

I took a walk on a recent evening. The sun, low in the western sky, was still very strong and cast quite a shadow. As I looked east, I could see that the dark image of myself extended twelve to fifteen feet onto the grass. I felt like a mighty tall man!

            Shadows can’t exist on their own. They need both light and something to block that light. Even their size and shape may not truly reflect reality. Nonetheless, they inform people of a presence. I recall playing hide and seek with my brothers and although I couldn’t see Larry behind the pile of firewood, his shadow let me know where he was hiding.

            Sometimes people choose to live shadow lives, away from the light. Consequences become unimportant as they try to hide from truth. Sadly, like the shadows they choose, their own lives start to become absences of reality.

            At the same time, shadows can remind us that we are the ones in the light. When there is no light, there cannot be a shadow. Even as we are called to live in the light, we are often tempted by the falsity of the shadow world. Once we are children of the light, however, we must remain in the light.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” 

Ephesians 5:8