The Christian Scriptures take up the theme of Divinity and Light when it compares the Christ experience to Wisdom, who is called in the Hebrew Bible “a reflection of light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness.”
John’s Gospel begins with a deep exposition of Wisdom. We read:
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of people,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.
The Christ in John’s Gospel is continually discoursing on the theme of light.
I am the light of the world;
anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark;
but will have the light of life.
When he was preparing to cure the man born blind who would receive his sight back (i.e., light), the Christ is reported to say:
As long as I am in the world
I am the light of the world.
Restoring light and sight to the blind is a theme that arises often in the Gospels. That Christ brings light or enlightenment to the world is spoken of in the prologue of John’s Gospel:
The Word was the true light
that enlightens all people;
and he was coming into the world.
The Gospel of Thomas relays the following teaching from Jesus.
Jesus said: If they say to you: Where are you from? Say to them “We came from the light there, where the light was, by itself. It stood boldly and manifested itself in their image.”
Jesus speaks in that gospel as he does in John’s about his relationship to light:
I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained.
Clearly these are not words of the historical Jesus but of the Cosmic Christ, which the community put into the mouth of Jesus. But they apply to us all since we are all called to be other Christs, thus light to others.
M. C. Richards, who sculpted the “I am the Light of the World” clay tablet shown above has this to say about light and the divine:
How do we remember what it is to be human persons? The Christ Within: What a beautiful thought! The warmth and light and love radiating from within….
One is reminded of Thomas Merton’s mystical experience crossing the street in downtown Louisville at noon rush hour where he saw all these people and strangers emanating light. He wrote in his journal the next day, “How is it possible to tell everyone they are all walking around shining like the sun?”
How indeed.
Adapted from Matthew Fox, One River, Many Wells: Wisdom flowing from Global Faiths, pp. 67-68
Also see Matthew Fox and Bishop Marc Andrus, Stations of the Cosmic Christ, p. 59.
Banner Image: Mosaic of the Virgin Mother with child, north dome of the inner narthex of Chora Church, Kariye, Istanbul, Turkey. Photo by fusion-of-horizons on Flickr.
Queries for Contemplation
Can you say you “come from the light” as the Gospel of Thomas proposes? What does that mean? What are the implications of such a heritage?
What does it mean that Jesus is said to “come from the light” and that the Christ was a true light that enlightens all people? Are you such an enlightened person?
Recommended Reading
This is a book of meditations on the Cosmic Christ, accompanying the images of 16 wonderful clay tablets by Javier Ullrrich Lemus and M.C. Richards. Together, these images and meditations go far beyond the traditional Stations of the Cross to inspire a spirit awakening and understanding of the cosmic Christ Consciousness, Buddha consciousness, and consciousness of the image of God in all beings, so needed in our times.
Beautiful full-color cards from Stations of the Cosmic Christ to aid in your meditations on the Cosmic Christ, featuring the images of 16 wonderful clay tablets by Javier Ullrrich Lemus and M.C. Richards. Step beyond the traditional Stations of the Cross and experience a spirit awakening and understanding of the cosmic Christ Consciousness, Buddha consciousness, and consciousness of the image of God in all beings, so needed in our times. Includes an instruction booklet containing suggestions on how to use the cards.
10 thoughts on “Light in the Christian tradition”
Your sharings are beautiful and I read them everyday. I know language is important to you as it is to me so I have one problem today. The language used from the scriptures is exclusive of women . I quote”Anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark, he will have the light of life. ” I object to ” he” and the other quote” “The word was the true light that enlightens all men” men is exclusive of women and we are part of the human race . After all this is 2020 and we have to be mentioned too. Would Jesus do that today???
Dear Theresa and Joani,
.
Thank you for reaching out…and yes, non-gendered language is very important to us. Matthew routinely removes gender references in his biblical quotes, and both he and I (as copyeditor) regret that this error got through; we assure you it was not intentional, nor was it due to any sexist bias. It simply slipped through the filter, and we both apologize.The generic-male references in the post have (belatedly) been edited out…
Wishing you a blessed New Year,
Phila Hoopes
Blog Coordinator
If you understood the etymology of the word “man” you would realze that it refers to all people, humans, both female and male. For this reason I, a woman and a feminist who mourns the great damage done by patriarchy, am not offended by the term. It does not, in this context, mean a singular male person.
The inward light is one of Bible related metaphors Quakers use to describe the distinctive way that we experience the Holy Spirit.
When we pray it is often that we ‘hold a person or situation in the light’.
To quote George Fox, attributed to be the founder of Quakerism, “I saw also there was an ocean of darkness and death, but an infinite ocean of light and love which flowed over the ocean of darkness”.
There is an inward light in all and so many references to light within the Society of Friends.
Thank You Theresa !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Joani,
Please find Phila Hoopes response to Theresa’s comment about gender language somewhere on this page. It is also addressed to you. We just slipped up, that’s all. But thank you for being vigilant. Vigilance can prophetic action itself. We are glad you wrote to us about this.
Gail Sofia Ransom
For the Daily Meditations Team
Theresa and Joani: I would normally, as a woman, expect myself to sign in on your observation about this reading but now I am confused because this is what I read: “All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of people,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.”
Dear Joan,
I would imagine you read the meditation after our team adjusted the passage to non-gendered language. In another response to Thersa and Joani’s concern, our Daily Meditations editor, Phila Hoopes wrote “Matthew routinely removes gender references in his biblical quotes, and both he and I (as copyeditor) regret that this error got through; we assure you it was not intentional, nor was it due to any sexist bias. It simply slipped through the filter, and we both apologize. The generic-male references in the post have (belatedly) been edited out…”
I am guessing that you read the belated version.
Gail Sofia Ransom
For the Daily Meditation Team
Some people have mystical moments of clarity where they break through and see the LIGHT and others break through differently. We discipline to remove the obstructions of the LIGHT.
Dear Gary,
Thank you for your description of a kind of prophetic action on behalf of the LIGHT. Taking more courage than we realize, but very compassionate. So many people reach for the light, but are thwarted by one obstruction or another. And they are left with infinite longing, but nowhere to turn.
Gail Sofia Ransom
For the Daily Meditations Team