Christ Is Light

A Reflection on the Gospel for January 26th, 2020:
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

​MATTHEW 4:12-23

12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Caper'na-um by the sea, in the territory of Zeb'ulun and Naph'tali, 14 that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 "The land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles -- 16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, in the boat with Zeb'edee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. 23 And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

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​Light is so available to me that I don’t rightly consider its impact. Only in a power outage do I notice how I depend on light; even without power, windows let in enough moonlight for me to maneuver around. This passage led me to reflect on light’s enablement.

I can perceive my environment quickly and accurately in light. In minutes my eyes will adjust to darkness, but my response to light is almost immediate (if sometimes a tad painful). Shadows can disfigure my surroundings and trick my brain into thinking there are dangers where there are none; conversely, darkness can hide real danger so that I’m left oblivious. In the dark I fumble around, move slowly, and use my other senses to get a grasp of my surroundings. In the light I move confidently, with fluid motions, rarely second guessing myself. Light’s clarity makes me more secure and less fearful.

I can only see colours in light. In darkness, my eyes’ rods fire to try and compensate but their cones can’t perceive the vibrant and varying hues around me. I’m an artist and lover of beauty, so I can’t help but think about how I need light to appreciate a painting, outfit, forest, sunset. Colours influence emotion, convey tone and mood, and communicate symbols and meaning to attract or repel. We know red, yellow, green means stop, yield, go - in context. Colours can indicate that something is good to eat, going bad, poisonous, or deadly. Colours can be signals that lead us to life.

Light feeds me and contributes to my health. Nearly every natural thing that I consume depends on light for existence. Photosynthesis keeps most plants green and alive and nourishes them, other animals eat those light-dependant plants, and I tend to eat either the plant or the creature in some form. The sun’s rays enable my body to produce vitamin D, which plays a role in insulin production, calcium absorption, and strengthening the immune system. Studies also suggest that sunlight increases levels of serotonin to elevate mood, improve sleep, and even heal certain skin disorders.

I could extend the list, but these points alone help me better understand the prophecy, “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light” and how Jesus fulfills this promise. Much of what I can say about light, I can say about Christ. He gives me strength, security, health, happiness, nourishment, and life. As I grow closer to Him, or as He grows closer to me, I see Him, myself, others, and the world with greater clarity and appreciation for their depth, shape, colour, and beauty. Like the sun, His light is fire and it burns and spreads to share its warmth and many gifts.
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Let us pray... 
Holy Spirit, Living Fire, reveal Christ in my daily experiences of light this week, and increase my longing for Him when I feel like I am in darkness. 



​Kendra Lang

Photo by Marina Lauritzen on Unsplash

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