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{"id":26181,"date":"2013-09-17T11:15:58","date_gmt":"2013-09-17T15:15:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/?p=26181"},"modified":"2016-09-30T16:02:12","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T20:02:12","slug":"dont-curse-the-dark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2013\/09\/dont-curse-the-dark\/","title":{"rendered":"“Don’t curse the dark”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"\"$ <\/a><\/p>\n

Finally, remember this, we are engaged in a spiritual battle. Why did you think that the church would be free from corruption, scandal, indifference and heresy? It has always been like this and it always will be. Read church history. The complainers and protesters never accomplished very much. The saints did. The saints confronted corruption with radiant lives of simplicity and power. They skewered scandal with radiant lives of purity and goodness. They overwhelmed indifference with radiant lives of zeal and joy. At times they spoke out against the scandal, indifference and corruption, but they always did so based on the authority of their own powerful sanctity.<\/p>\n

In other words, overwhelm the world with the light, life and beauty of Christ alive in you.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t curse the dark.<\/p>\n

Set alight a life ablaze with glory and goodness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Fr. Dwight Longenecker.<\/p>\n

Read the rest. \u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"