Saint John's Gospel puts us again and again before the dilemma: light-darkness, noting with sadness that we usually prefer darkness. It is easy to grasp the symbolism of the words, but more difficult to agree on what is life is light and what is darkness. Jesus often speaks of a world which is in opposition to him referring to those who have a different vision of darkness and light.
We are free to think that light may be that for which we strive day after day: material well being, pleasure of the senses, useless illusions, or pride in the bold conquests of the intelligence: a misunderstanding which disappoints the Lord. It is not that he condemns the most authentic and difficult searchings of mankind, but he points to a higher light and is saddened when man is deceives himself, when he considers light things which can never remove his cloudy uncertainty.
Man's preference for darkness is and has always been a mystery in human history, also for us, for that rift that we carry within us. But it would be unforgivable if we did not search for the only light that never fails. (Fides Service 31/3/2003 EM lines 15 Words: 221)