These are photographs of last years Candlemas celebrations here.
I am a bit busy at the moment, I was going to do a piece on Light as being the proto-icon of Christ, the Eternal Word, The Revelation of the Father, The Dawn from on High, and yes, forgive me going on about this turning towards the east and leaving the world of shadow, etc behind.
5 comments:
Jesus said "I am the light of the world" (Jn 8:12). There are many other Biblical references comparing Christ to light.
Einstein discovered that light does not experience a past or future, but all moments of time are present to light simultaneously. Like God.
Einstein also realised that the speed of light is constant to every observer, no matter how fast they travel in whatever direction. God is constant too.
And no body in the universe can reach the speed of light--no matter how much energy is put into it. Only those things which are light-like (i.e. electrmagnetic radiation) can travel at the speed of light. Does this indicate we cannot reach Christ by our own efforts, but need a transformation?
The ancient's saw the Sun's characteristics as the source of light, warmth and life as an analogy for God giving us reason, love and eternal life. And as modern science makes its discoveries, it does not make the analogy of God and light less appropriate, but even richer in previously unimaginable ways.
Truly science helps to confirm what theologians have already understood for centuries. The most obvious case is the 'Big Bang'. Science says the cosmos began as pure energy: or as God said, "Let there be light".
How beautiful Father! For that one I don't care if you face North, South, East or West. I'd have found it inspiring.
Karen
So beautiful. God bless you.
I like the reference by James M to Christ the Light of the World in the Gospel of St. John.
And God said, "Let there be light."(Gen.1,3)
Yes, I think we can begin to understand that.
There would be no life on earth without light.
And we certainly worship Christ the Light of the World.
Now, Christ was born into the world.
He was incarnate at a particular moment in history.
But he was begotten, not made, of the Father.
There was a pre-existent metaphysical Sonship, with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, from eternity.
When we read in Genesis that God created Light, we know Christ the Son of God is the same source of Light.
Christ, the source of Light, in his Incarnation became the Light.
The candle burning in the darkness is a most powerful symbol of this.
One hears these words at the end of every Mass, when the priest recites the "Last Gospel" :
"In him was Life, and that Life was Light, that is the true Light which shines on every man who comes into the world .. the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it." (John,1,4-5)
Candlemas.
How good it is at this time to turn from the darkness to Christ the Light of the World.
I have just been pointed to this blog.
Thanks.
It is hard to believe we have so few days between Candlemas and Lent!
I reflect on why here:
http://www.liturgy.co.nz/worship/matters_files/dateofEaster20080201.html
I am trying to encourage greater use of the Liturgy of the Hours at
http://www.liturgy.co.nz/ofthehours/resources.html
especially starting in Lent
and ecumenically.
Blessings
Bosco
www.liturgy.co.nz
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