Light Shines into Darkness - Lectionary Reflection for Epiphany 1B (Genesis 1)
1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
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According
to the “secular” calendar, this is the first Sunday of the New Year. What better
way to begin the new year than with a reflection on the story of creation. While
the Gospel reading speaks of the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:4-11), an event that
marks the beginning of his ministry, the reading from Genesis, while mentioning
waters, is less about water and more about light. The lectionary selection from
the Hebrew Bible focuses on the first day of creation, the day when God separates
light from darkness. Yes, at the moment of creation, “darkness covered the face
of the deep.” Then, as the Spirit/Wind of God moved across these dark waters,
God invited light to come into existence. God speaks the first words of
creation: “Let there be light.” When God spoke these words, light emerged from
the darkness. When God sees the light, God declares that it is good. Yes, take
note that God does not declare the darkness to be good, only the light.
This
word about light and darkness could easily elicit from me a reflection about the
message of Star Wars. I could
speak about the dangers and the attractiveness of the dark side of the Force. I
could, but I’ll refrain. Instead, I will interpret these words in light of the
liturgical context in which we read these opening lines of the biblical story.
It’s important to remember that the creators of the lectionary chose to
emphasize the first act of creation, the separation of light from darkness.
This is not an invitation to explore creation in its fullness, but rather to
consider how the light of God comes into the world, to bring light to our
darkness.
The season of Epiphany celebrates the revelation
of God’s presence in the world in the person of Jesus. It is linked in
tradition to the coming of the Magi, who follow a star shining in the darkness
of night, leading them to the place where the king of Israel resides (Matt 2:1-12). In the prologue to John’s Gospel, while not the Gospel reading for
this Sunday, reflects this incarnational theme. The Word of God takes flesh and
dwells in our midst (Jn. 1:14). We hear a word about John the Baptist testifying
that “the true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world”
(Jn. 1:6-9). John doesn’t have the Baptist baptizing Jesus, but he does testify
that one is present who baptizes with the Spirit. This is the one whom John
testifies is the light shining into the darkness.
Many
believe that we live in a time of darkness. Even though at the macro level the
American economy is going gangbusters, too many Americans are being left
behind. There is the fear of nuclear war with North Korea, unrest in the Middle
East, and a general feeling of malaise and frustration at home. Spiritually,
institutional religion struggles to connect. Perhaps most insidious is a deepening
fear of the other. While many seem to feel the need for God, they also seem unsure of where to find the presence of God present. In other words, the light has been
placed under a bushel, and darkness seems to reign. Hope is giving way to
despair.
While darkness seems to cover the
face of the deep of our world, where despair and a sense of abandonment seem to
reign, we hear in these words from Genesis 1 a celebration of light. It is a
word to the people of God, signaling that while darkness may seem to cover the
earth, darkness will not prevail. In separating light from darkness, the light
is freed up to enlighten everyone, so that all might see God’s presence, God’s
glory (kabod), and rejoice in that
glory. As this is the Sunday in which the church celebrates the baptism of
Jesus, and with it all baptisms are celebrated, we might hear in the message of
the day, an invitation to enter the light that is God and that is revealed to
the world in the presence of Jesus.
I close with the words of the
Philipp Nicolai hymn “O Morning Star.” As we ponder the light shining in the
darkness in the person of Jesus, the one whom John declares is the light of the
world, we sing these words from the second verse of this hymn:
Come, heavenly brightness, light divine,
And deep within our hearts now shine;
There light a flame undying!
In your one body let us be as living branches of a tree,
Your life our lives supplying.
Now, though daily earth’s deep sadness may perplex us and distress
us,
Yet with heavenly joy you bless us.
(Chalice Hymnal, 105).
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