Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (Joh 3:20 NIV)

Take note of every word! Not gathered to Christ and into his holy Church, but separated from him eternally. That’s the terrible punishment for him, who does evil – hating good – and that ongoing and purposefully. Our Lord has people in mind, who are out to do bad and wrong yet do not want to gain insight or be brought to conversion. Such people hate the light and do not want to give ear to the gospel. They fear the exposure of their deeds by its truthful light – and rather than turning from the detrimental ways, they sink deeper and deeper into the quagmire. It’s what scripture calls the night of sin and the darkness of death.

Lord, our God awaken in our hearts a holy disdain of all that is not yours and doesn’t belong near you and opposes your divine will and law. Let us truly hold evil in contempt and not fall for its fallacy and hollow temptation. Enlighten us with your truth so that we recognize ourselves and you in Jesus Christ. In your light we see the light and by your grace we come to peace. Grant us this by your most gracious promise! Amen.

Fill all minds with pure and faithful decor, even houses, towns and cities with your ongoing blessing. Dispel the evil spirits and all that is opposed to you –  drive them out and expel them all from here.

Grant joy and strength to stand strong and fight against Satan’s ilk and cunning! Help fighting valiantly so that we be triumphant and never give an inch to sin.

Orientate all our living according to your will and if at the end we have to relinquish it to death’s dark jaws then help us to die victorious and after death inherit our eternal home beyond.  (Paul Gerhard 1607-1676)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Thursday after the high Christian holiday of Pentecost. It is found on Pg. 212 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.