Jesus & Light: Part 1

...Now, with the connection between Jesus and light in mind, consider this quote from Arthur Zajonc:

"Do we ever see light? You and I are in this room; the room is filled with light. If we were seeing light we wouldn't see each other; it would be in the way. It's a little bit like if we had a wall between us. We would see the wall by we wouldn't see each other. We have light between us right now but we do see each other. In fact, if there were no light between us it would be dark and we would see nothing. So we see by virtue of light but light in itself is, in some sense, invisible."

This was a shocking truth for me, something so close and yet so hidden. Light is invisible! Light MAKES things visible but is itself invisible. It is, in a very real sense unavailable. But in this unavailability, it illuminates all things. Zajonc talks about the 'character' of light as completely self-giving, and self-emptying. This instantly for me brings up one of my favorite passages in scripture, perhaps my very favorite:

Philippians 2:5-11 "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. "

Isn't it fascinating that the reality which Christians take to be Ultimate Reality, the self-giving Christ Jesus, corresponds to the very way in which the physical universe's most fundamental 'thing' behaves in relation to everything else. Visible light is like a revelation of Jesus Christ. I cannot tell you how this realization lifted my spirits when it came to me. All these messages from The Holy Spirit about light were coming to me and then I found this book which seemed to bring all of this together. It is like visible light is the world conforming to the character of light. 

To come on this subject: 

What, then, it means for US to be the light of the world

Color and the interplay of light and dark

The danger of Manecheisn 

DC's Lantern Corps: a modern myths of light

.....hope some of that wets you whistle, Im so excited to share my thoughts on this matter!