From Darkness to Light
“What has come into being him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:3b-5)
“Let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14)
Newspapers, television, and most information sources have had numerous reports and articles about the solar eclipse that will happen August 21. There are maps with diagrams showing where the eclipse will be total, or very nearly so, and much information about how the moon and sun are positioned so that this astronomical event occurs. The image of an eclipse is truly dramatic, with that dark blot over the face of the sun and just the glittering edges flaring out.
A partial eclipse occurred in early 1970, and I recall very interesting TV coverage of scientists and students gathering data fast and furiously in a variety of locations. As the eclipse was greater in Florida than here in Iowa, there was special interest in observing the Okeefenokee Swamp, where the creatures begin to peep and chirp and behave as though evening had arrived as the eclipse progressed.
Then there are people who try to read some world-changing meaning into what is an interesting natural phenomenon and learning opportunity. A letter to the opinion page in our local paper stated that an eclipse was a biblical sign of change, such as a regime change. Of course, no chapter and verse were cited, and the time and nature of the change were not identified, giving the writer an abundance of leeway.
My biblical reference sources did not include the word eclipse, so I searched for sun, moon, and sky, and found a few. But when I looked for heaven(s) and then light, there was a wealth of verses. The Gospel of John introduces us to the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah when he describes the Messiah as the light shining in the darkness, which cannot overcome it. Jesus’ teachings use the image of light to describe how the believers can witness and share the Good News of God’s love and forgiveness. The verse from Matthew is only one place in which Jesus tells us both that he is the light of the world, and that we are called to share that light with others.
I’d like to suggest a couple of spiritual lessons we can derive from the images of the eclipse. Let’s not let any “things” come between the light of God’s love and care for us, placing us in a darkened twilight in our relationship with him. And let’s also remember that even at those times when we feel that we are in the darkest of places, that deep shadow isn’t permanent, and in the natural course of God’s creation, the light will return, and once again we’ll feel the warmth and see his light.
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers