The dark is where many of the street children in Lima say they have met the devil. Talking of Jesus they call him the man on the stick. Speaking of the forces of darkness they say, we know what your talking about, we meet the evil one when we’re hiding and sniffing glu in the dark.

The recent revelations surrounding the Angelica Kluk murder trial, is a reminder to all Christian Communities that we have a responsibility to those who serve and to those who are being served. Churches should be trusting places but we need to be sure that we do not act naively put unsuspecting people at risk. The whole sad sorry affair is intertwined with human weakness. It is a powerful reminder to all who lead in the church that we need to stay close to our Lord. As Van Morrison would say, We need to walk on the “bright side of the road”. the dark side of life is so close to all of us. I wrote this a few years ago as counsel to a younger Christian. It can be said as part of a liturgy.

The dark is not a safe place.

So walk in the light.

There are dangers lurking in the dark.
You tell yourself that it is not real,
You think there is no danger there.
You should not be afraid of the dark.
Fear is for children.
It is to scare yourself,
for the thrill of a scream
A laugh.
No, the dark holds no real danger.

Listen to me,
walk in the light.

The danger is real.
Yet, what is in the darkness
Has not been left for you by some bogeyman.
What is in the darkness, is not a monster
who, watches for you and waits.

Stay away from danger
Walk in the light.

For if you continue to walk in the dark
then what you will find there
is the thing most destructive of all to you.
It is what you bring with you
It is your own sin
And in the darkness you will come to believe
That you cannot be seen
And in the darkness you will come to believe
That you can conceal what you do
And who you are
And how you think
In the darkness
Away from condemnation
Sin will work upon you

So stay away from the dark
And walk in the light
Where sin has no hold upon you

Believe me in the dark
The power of sin grows
And seeks to have you for its own

So stay out of the darkness
And walk in the light

“If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1st John 1:7)