The Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) daily readings for Monday, March 16, 2026
From Darkness Into Light
Psalm 146:1-10
Isaiah 59:9–19
Acts 9:1–20
In Isaiah 59, the prophet describes a world that feels painfully familiar:
justice seems far away, truth stumbles in the streets, and people grope around like those walking in darkness.
Many of us know that feeling. We experience seasons where hope seems distant and the future unclear. We search for direction, but the path forward feels hidden.
But the passage does not end in despair. It declares that God sees. When God looked and saw that there was no justice, the Lord himself stepped in to bring salvation.
That promise takes flesh in the story of Acts of the Apostles 9, when the risen Christ confronts Paul the Apostle on the road to Damascus. Saul had been walking confidently in what he believed was truth, yet he was spiritually blind. In a moment of divine encounter, everything changed. The persecutor became a preacher. Darkness gave way to light.
The psalmist echoes this hope in Psalms 146, praising the Lord who gives justice to the oppressed, lifts up those who are bowed down, and restores sight to the blind.
Together, these readings remind us that God specializes in transformation. When we feel lost, God brings light. When the world feels unjust, God moves toward redemption. When hearts seem hardened, God can still turn them around.
No life is too far gone.
No situation is too dark.
The same God who transformed Saul is still bringing light into the world today.
🙏 Prayer
God of light,
when the world feels dark and confusing,
open my eyes to your presence.
Transform my heart the way you transformed Saul,
and help me walk in your truth and justice today.
Amen. ✝️