Let there be Light!

Well, I had another blog post ready to go for today, but the beautiful sunny morning we’ve been enjoying here in West Michigan has convinced me to spend some time reflecting on the importance of light. We’ve gone through several weeks where we’ve not really seen the sun. This is not a practical problem; we have plenty of technology that helps us see, day or night, when there is the not enough natural light. No, there’s something more–dare I say, spiritual, about the presence of light in our lives.

It is not by accident that light was the first of God’s creations. That act of creation brought both awareness for all that came after it and even a way of experiencing time, primarily through the cycle of day and night. But again, we must recognize that this is more than a practical need to be able to see. If that were the case, would we have the reaction that we had today?

The truth is that no how matter much we deny or except it, we are energized and warmed by the Light that comes from God.

Celebration of the feast of the Presentation of Christ in The Temple which falls every year on February 2 (celebrated tonight with Matins at 5 PM and Divine Liturgy at 6 PM) is the Feast of Light. We will hear Saint Simeon proclaim that the Christ child he bears in his arms will be the “light to enlighten the Gentiles.” This is why the Presentation is the traditional feast for the blessing of candles, which we will do at the conclusion of tonight’s Liturgy.

I hope our appreciation for the sun which rose this morning will inspire us in appreciation of the Son. He is the Light of the world, and as we sing in praise to Him every Sunday morning–and will sing tonight—“In Thy light shall we see light.”
I look forward to celebrating with you all tonight!