Welcome to The Light, your quiet hour of reflection.
In Siberia, a laboratory technician has died following infection with yersinia pestis, the bacterium behind plague. The strain involved appears to be pneumonic, the most transmissible form. Authorities offer reassurance, and professional forecasters assess the broader risk as low, though uncertainty lingers in the details.
From the world of faith and story, the family of C.S. Lewis has issued a statement expressing genuine enthusiasm for Netflix's upcoming adaptation of The Magician's Nephew, directly countering reports that they were distressed by the casting of Meryl Streep as Aslan. Their warmth toward the production invites us to consider how beloved stories carry forward through new voices.
And closer to the pews, new research suggests Protestant sermons are growing longer, and most congregants find themselves willing listeners. In an age shaped by fleeting attention, this is quietly striking. Perhaps the hunger for sustained meaning runs deeper than the culture of the short clip would have us believe.
That is this hour's reflection. Carry the light gently.
