You are the Light of the World

 

Bright Light

“When I was a child, probably around eight or nine, I used to spend several weeks of the summer on a farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York, the homestead where my relatives settled when they emigrated from Ireland in the 1800’s. I have many warm memories from those visits, but one that stands out is our habit of going to a drive-in-movie in a car loaded with children.”

Thomas Moore (The Soul of Christmas, p.51; Franciscan Media, 2016)

          Moore goes on to say that many of those times, instead of watching the movie, he sat on the hood of the car and watched the dark sky behind the screen for shooting stars. He wrote about the wonder he felt when a meteor shot across the sky before his very eyes, as though it was meant for him. This little story is included in his Christmas book to illustrate our relationship to the night sky, and how we can be transported by its beauty and expansiveness even now. At the time of Jesus’ birth, there was an especially bright star, perhaps a super nova, that must have garnered great attention, especially since it came so close to the Winter Solstice, the longest and darkest night of the year. The ancient people were sky-gazers, followers of the constellations for the signs and portents they brought.

          Last night, I received a text from my across-the-street-neighbor, Stan, who taught advanced science in high school until his retirement a few years ago. The text included a photo of my house with a huge red moon rising behind it. I went outside and stood in the street to watch it rise into the treetops and higher. The moon and its wide pink aura captivated me for quite a while. We twenty-first century humans are sky-gazers too. There is mystery and compelling magnetism about the cosmos that draws us to it. We want to connect, to understand, to marvel.

          For many, this season of Christmas is filled with wonder. The lights we put up in our houses and across our yards reflect the stars that shone at the time of Jesus’ birth. Just imagine what the sky was like then—with no ambient light from cities to compete. When I was up in NC last week, one of my cousins had lights spread around two acres—with reindeer and wreaths and arbors. It was a winter wonderland. This season of darkness allows our colorful displays to show up in a way they would not at other times of year. It is the gift of winter’s long, dark nights.

          As Thomas Moore points out in The Soul of Christmas, the star is also a metaphor for the enlightenment of humanity. In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” And then, in Matthew 5:14, he tells his disciples, “You are the light of the world.” I think that passes down to his followers today—we are supposed to be the light of the world. We are here to bring light into the darkness of misunderstanding and misrepresentation. When you have a chance to sit quietly today, imagine the light that shines from your body illuminating the space around you—like the full moon, like the star of Bethlehem, shine right where you are and brighten your world.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane