By Betty Hertz, St. John Lay Leader
John 1:6-9
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b]
John 8:12
12 Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life."
In the Gospel of John, the word light appears 25 times. Light is a symbol of coming to believe. I remember the connection between the New and Old Testaments whenever I reflect on an I AM statement. In John 1, the author tells his listeners that John the Baptist was a witness to the light but not the true light. The reference to the true light comes from Isaiah 9:2 and other OT prophets who said those walking in the darkness would see a great light (the true light) … the Messiah. The listeners would also know that right after God created the heavens and earth, He created light, and the light was good (Genesis 1:1-4). Light is essential for life. Spiritual light is essential for spiritual life.
Jesus said, "I AM the light of the world" at the Feast of the Tabernacles, one of three annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem the Torah required Jewish men to make. This fall feast celebrated the harvest. It also served as a reminder that when the Israelites wandered in the desert, they built temporary huts (sukkah), and God provided a Pillar of light by night for warmth and light in the darkness. One part of the festival is a ritual of illumination.
By Jesus saying, "I AM the light," he is saying he is divinity, the son of God made flesh. The tension builds as the Pharisees question Jesus because he is disrupting their world and preaching blasphemy.
As I reflected more on the meaning of this statement, the phrase "light of life" caught my attention. Sometimes that light is bright, as in "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine," and sometimes that light shines in dark places. When the light has shown in my dark, uncomfortable places, those of guilt or pain, Jesus, the Light of life, opens me up to healing and hope.
Putting the light of Jesus in my life illumines me. The refrain from Hymn 454 Open My Eyes, That I May See speaks to me:
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready my God thy will to see
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine.
Closing thoughts from The God We Can Know Study Guide,( p 20-21)
When we look around us and feel that only darkness and emptiness surround us, illuminate our hearts with Jesus' words,
"I am the Light of the World."
When we can't figure out where to go next, what to do, or who to be, help us to hear God's call and see the path illuminated for us by the one who says,
"I am the Light of the World."
When we wonder how we will go out into the world and shine God's light, sharing God's love with all the earth, let us follow Jesus' lead as he reveals himself to us, saying,
"I am the Light of the World." AMEN.
Reflection questions:
How has God's presence brought light to you in a way that helped you see a situation or problem differently?
What does it mean for us to be a light for the world?
(From The God We Can Know, p.52)