|
The Light of Christ-the Light in Us
Fr.
George Smiga
February 1-2, 2002
Luke
2:22-40
As people of the 21st century, it is easy for us to take for
granted the importance of light. Since Thomas Edison invented
the electric light bulb, we have had control over light. When
night falls, or the days of winter grow shorter, we do not
alter our plans, we simply flick a switch and our work, our
recreation, our lives go on as usual.
This control
of light is something new in human history. Before the discovery
of fire, our earliest ancestors were totally dependent upon
the sun and moon for light. When the sun set, life stopped.
They slept and waited, often in fear, until a new day began.
Even after the discovery of fire and the use of it in torches
and lanterns and candles, the quality of light was still limited.
Normal life could not continue until the sun rose again.
Our ancestors
who knew the pressing reality of darkness could not but appreciated
light. They understood that light brought with it two great
gifts: the gift of knowledge and the gift of assurance. Without
light we cannot see, but with light, we can recognize the
world around us. We can know what our environment is. We can
identify the people that we love, the realities which populate
our world. Light brings us this knowledge, and with it comes
assurance-assurance that we can see what is before us, that
we can recognize the possibilities in our circumstances, that
our action can make a difference.
Light
brings with it knowledge and assurance, and our ancestors
knew that immediately. But we, who take light for granted,
do not recognize it as easily. This is why, when Simeon says
today in the gospel that Jesus is the light to the
nations, the light to the world, we must imagine what our
ancestors heard in those words, so that we can truly understand
their meaning.
When Simeon
says that Jesus is the light, it is not some poetic embellishment
to increase his stature. It is a statement that Jesus is necessary
for life, that Jesus is the direct means for our knowledge
of who God is for us and how God will be present to us. Jesus
is essential for us to have that knowledge, and from that
gift flows assurance-the assurance of God's presence in our
life, God's reality in our midst.
Understanding
that light brings knowledge and assurance is as important
today as it ever was, because darkness continues in our world.
The darkness of tragedy continues, as we have seen this weekend
in the shuttle disaster. The darkness of fear remains as we
anticipate the possible coming of war. The darkness of loss
is present if we miss someone that we love and must deal with
the end of a relationship. The darkness of pain is real, a
pain resulting
from misunderstanding, from alienation, or from mental or
physical sickness. All of this darkness is still a part of
our lives. Therefore, the proclamation that Christ is the
light is needed to remind us who God is for us so that we
might have the assurance that we will not face the darkness
alone.
Christ
then is our light, but that light is meant to be reflected.
Simeon in the gospel today says that Jesus is the light. But
in Matthew's gospel Jesus tells us that we are the light,
we are the Light of the world. By that proclamation we are
told that the knowledge and assurance which we have received
from Jesus is the very light we should pass on to others.
Our actions and our commitment to one another are meant to
reflect the knowledge of who God is and how God loves us.
We are to pass on the assurance, the comfort and the security
that comes from God's presence in our lives.
Knowledge
and assurance-two gifts of light. The more that we can appreciate
these dimensions of light, the more clearly we can see who
Christ is for us and
who we are called to be for one another.
Today
is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Because this
gospel in which Simeon proclaims Jesus as the light has always
been read on this day, our ancestors chose this day to celebrate
the reality of light. They chose to celebrate light in the
way that light was most available to them, in the candles
that they used to light their world. Today is also called
Candlemas Day. It is the day on which the Church blesses candles
and honors Christ as our light. Therefore, candles should
be for us more than a mere decoration in our sanctuaries or
homes. They should stand as a reminder of the essential quality
of Christ's light which brings to us our knowledge of God
and the assurance that flows from it.
In the
Christopher prayer there's a line, "It is better to light
one candle than to curse the darkness". That is good
advice for us on this feast day. Let us claim Christ as our
light. Then let His light shine through us so that the knowledge
of God and the assurance of God's love might brighten our
darkened world.
|
