Dread the Dark

Seeing Jesus as the light of the world

04/04/2022

Jn 8:12-20 Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me.” So they said to him, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

I love the light, and by contrast, I dread the darkness. Ever since I was a little boy, I have been scared of the dark. This week Fr. Daniel will be on vacation and you will see all the lights on at the rectory at night, because poor Fr. John is scared of the dark. I also love this time of year when we see more light in the mornings and evenings. The light makes me happy, and reassures me that all will be well with the world.

But I am not alone in being scared of the dark. I believe all human beings dread the dark and we all love the light. That is one reason we love building a camp fire and sit entranced by its flickering flames. Thomas Edison perfected the incandescent light bulb and boasted: “We will make electricity (for light bulbs) so cheap that only the rich will burn candles.” And he was right: electric light bulbs are available for the masses, while it feels like a luxury to light a candle. In other words, it is not just me, but we touch something deep in human nature when we recognize that we love the light and dread the dark.

In the gospel of John today we hear Jesus pronounce one of his seven “I am” sayings. Those “I am” sayings are intended to show that Jesus is equal to God, whose Name is “I am” (Ex 3:14). Indeed, Jesus is not only equal to God, he is God, God the Son. In this passage from Jn 8:12, Jesus declares: “I am the light of the world.” And I have to confess, this is my favorite of the seven “I am” sayings. Why? Because when Jesus is with me, I never have to flip another light switch. That is, I do not have to dread the dark.

In other words, Jesus is assuring us that he will scatter that deep darkness that all humanity instinctively fears when we light candles, build camp fires, throw another log on the fire place, and switch on every light when Fr. Daniel goes on vacation. Jesus is the true light of the world, who finally and fully overcomes the deepest darkness, in our hearts and in the world.

Did you know that the Bible ends with a return to this theme of light? In the last two chapters of Revelation, St. John also sees how Jesus is the light of the world. Rv 21:23 reads: “The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of the God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.” In other words, Jesus is the Lamb of God, who is also the Light of the world. And his light is infinitely better and brighter than Edison’s incandescent light bulb, and the most efficient and modern LED light.

But Rv. 22:5 goes even further than that and insists: “Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.” The fact that Christ’s light shines so bright that it obliterates the night means I will never have to turn on all the light in the house again. Why not? Because there will be no more night, and no one will dread the dark. We will all walk in the light of the lamp that is the Lamb, who is Jesus, the light of the world.

My friends, do you know what light really is, that light that emanates from candles and fires and LED bulbs? It is a natural sacrament, or as we call it in the Catholic Church, a sacramental. That is, light not one of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ to give grace; rather, it is one of the natural sacraments instituted by God at the dawn of creation to prepare us for the coming of Christ. In Latin we call it “vestigia Dei,” or “traces of God,” or put poetically: “God’s footprints.”

Just like holy water is a sacramental and reminds us of baptism and spiritual rebirth and new life in Christ, so sunlight, candle light and even light bulbs serve as reminders and representatives of the true light, Jesus, “who enlightens every person” (Jn 1:9). Why does Jesus enlighten every person? Because we all love the light and dread the dark.

Praised be Jesus Christ!