Light

It is no secret that our world is filled with, and often overtaken by, darkness. With the recent time change, the topic of light and darkness is easy to imagine. As the sun sets, now ‘suddenly’ an hour earlier, it is easy to lose our awareness of time. No, it isn’t midnight (as a famous social meme shows) it is only 7pm. We call it daylight savings time, but maybe we should call it daylight shining time.

Brethren, it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.  For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.  For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

2^nd Corinthians 4.6-15

As human beings we just don’t function well in the darkness. Unlike night creatures, our eyes need light for vision. Consider the creatures of the night. Rodents and all sorts of scavengers prowl around in secret causing commotion and decay. Some predators use the stealth of darkness to surprise their prey. It is why smaller animals seek shelter at sundown. They know the dangers of the darkness.

Saint John opens his Gospel by focusing on the power of light over darkness.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. JOHN 1.1-5

Christ is the Light and He commands that we allow His Light to shine through us in the darkness. The Light of Christ is enough to bring hope to those in darkness. It is powerful enough to chase away predators.

Many studies have been done about the healing and cleansing power of light. It should be of no surprise that Christ is synonymous with Light. There is no life without light. Come out of the darkness and into the Light of Christ. Only scavengers and predators stay out at night.

If you are finding it difficult to locate the light in your heart, pray that God will reveal it to you. Find an Orthodox Church today and enter with faith. Light a candle and pray the light also shines in your heart. Set your gaze upon the icons of our Lord and the Saints. Take notice of the halos of light. You are surrounded by light. Maybe you just don’t recognize it. Ask God to reveal it to you and He will. He IS the Light.