Embrace the Light

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, January 7, 2024:
The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

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Isaiah
60.1-6
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​Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.

Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Rise and Shine! Look up and look around! There is glory to behold and joy to be felt. This passage is a welcomed reminder that we can spend a lot of time looking down at our feet, hiding our faces from the light, concerned only with the most immediate stumbling block that life tries to throw at us. We can forget that we live in a world where God became man to save us.

​This passage, like many others of the Advent writings of Isaiah, is prophetically describing the impact of Jesus’ birth. The world is covered in darkness, but then there will be a light so bright that nations and kings will be drawn to it. They will bring gold and frankincense and proclaim the praise of the Lord. 

I think this is also what happens when we start living a Christ-centred life. When we are separate from God, it can feel like a thick darkness is over us. We cannot see past our own feet. We get so concerned with what is in front of us that we forget to look up, to thank and glorify God. But Isaiah tells us how worthwhile it is to live and walk with Christ. Our hearts will thrill and rejoice! We will see and be radiant! There will be abundance and power!

When we step out of the darkness and embrace God, there is a light that radiates from us that others, even those without faith, can see and are drawn to. This light can’t be hidden, and it banishes the darkness from our lives. When we look up and turn our faces to God, we see why we are walking this path in the first place. And there is no better time to start looking up than the new year, when our Lord comes with a renewed brightness to light our path.


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Ronnie Noonan-Birch

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