Who walks by your light?
Epiphany is a feast associated with light. When the people of Jerusalem are brought back
from exile, Isaiah tells them that their light
has come: God has seen fit to
eradicate the darkness covering the earth
so that the people may be restored to their original splendor. For Jerusalem is
to be a beacon to all nations, radiant
from within, and thereby drawing all people to her revelation of God’s
glory: nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance, Isaiah
announces. Then, as Psalm 72 proclaims, Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. Indeed, magnates shall come from all the ends
of the earth, from Tarshish to Arabia and Sheba, to pay homage to the king who reveals God’s justice in his attention
to the needs of all people.
In the time of Jesus, darkness is embodied by King Herod
himself. In Matthew's Gospel, troubled by the news of a star
that reveals the newborn king of the
Jews, Herod does all in his power to quench that light. He is not interested in God’s plan or in God’s
justice. But like St. Paul in the Letter to the Ephesians, the mystery has been made known to us by revelation; we too can be recipients
of the stewardship of God’s grace, if
we so choose. Like the great city of Jerusalem or the star at its rising or St. Paul himself, we are all called to
reveal God’s presence, to manifest God’s grace, the experienced presence of
God, in all that we are, all that we live, all that we do… If we do so, then nations may walk by our light, and kings
by our shining radiance, and all
will truly be coheirs, members of the same
body, revealing Christ to the world.
This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source: Wordle
I love the idea that "People may be restored". I believe so often in our daily life we are so very busy "doing", busy "touching base" with far flung friends...checking our electronics...we lose track of that bright light, that Spark, that is possible. I think there is something to be said about meditation, quiet (no, silence)....allowing God to enter....to be heard. If indeed we are People of God, how do we allow His Presence...in our everyday life?
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