• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
The Light of the Worldby Doug FloydI’ve heard people say that we can remain silent and appear to be wise. I did that once.But usually my mouth exposes the illusion of the silent sage.One Christmas I had to remain silent. Four months into graduate school, and I lost my job. Scrambling for work in late November landed me a “wise man” gig. I joined aprocession of wise men as we circled the manger with Mary, Joseph, shepherds, sheep,and a camel.The work was easy. We stood there silent, night after night, gazing at the baby Jesus.Our living nativity revealed a contemplative picture of silent adoration. From porcelainfigurines to paintings to life models, most all nativities are the very image of quietresignation.Leonaert Bramer challenges this contemplative repose in his early 17th century painting,“Adoration of the Magi.” Like several medieval nativities, the only light in the paintingbursts out from the babe in the manger, reminding us that we are all in the darknessbeholding the Light of the World.
 
Instead of transcendent calm, Bramer’s Nativity reveals the onlookers visibly agitated,possibly even terrified. One wise man covers his eyes with both hands. Other wise menlift their arms to shield against the blistering light. Joseph’s mouth hangs open in aweand possibly even dread. Even Mary appears somewhat distraught.The Light of God’s Word breaks into this dark world with piercing exposure like the lightof the noonday sun. The babe in the manger lays bare the darkness of our blind eyes.Paul beholds this blinding light that gives sight, and he never recovers. Even as hestumbles toward Damascus, he beholds the Lord of Glory with new eyes. The sameglory that burned on Moses’ face, burns in Paul’s heart, shining ever brighter till the fulllight of day. Paul encourages all the people of God that we are moving from glory toglory as Christ continues to reveal His Light upon us and within us.In Bramer’s painting, he captures this wonderful, woeful, glorious Light of God shiningupon us through Jesus. He captures the words of John’s Gospel, “And the Wordbecame flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Sonfrom the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
 
During Advent, we watch for the coming of the Word Made Flesh. We watch for theglory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. In His light, we see light.Outside of the Incarnation, we would be forever blind to the mercy and grace of God.We would be the people of the dark eyes who see only darkness. What do I mean bydarkness?In one sense, darkness is a loss of vision. This loss of vision is an inability to perceivelight. As a person perceives less and less light, he sees less and less. There may comea point, when he sees only shadows, and eventually he may see nothing.In this limited description of blindness, we encounter the darkening impact of corruptionas depicted in Romans 1. At first, the human vision is closed to the Creator whorevealed his eternal power and divine nature in the things that have been made. Ashumanity turned a blind eye to the truth of God, we worshipped creation rather than theCreator.Our field of vision closed in upon this world, and our hearts became dark. Once theblinding corruption of dark closed out the Light of God, human vision closed in uponitself. Soon we could no longer see beyond our own personal world. All other people, allcreation was seen through the lens of our problems, our desires, our hurts, our needs.This self-consuming blindness could only result in envy, murder, strife, hatred, deceit,maliciousness, gossip, slander, hatred toward God and man, pride, disobedience,foolishness, faithlessness, heartlessness, and ruthlessness. The evil we notice in theother men and women, corrupts us as well. Outside of God’s grace, all of us face thehorror of absolute selfishness.Unchecked, this selfishness is the most terrifying image in the universe. C.S. Lewisonce said that we may grumble so much, we simply become the grumble with nothingleft. Losing all openness toward human relation, we would tumble inward, damned in aperverse spiral of unending selfishness.Into this darkening spiral of blinding selfishness, the Light of God shines. The WordMade Flesh pierces the dark blindness of humanity, revealing the brilliant vision ofGod’s Love between Father, Son and Spirit.Bramer’s nativity painting reveals this awesome Light in terrifying wonder. As we beholdJesus Christ the Word Made Flesh, we behold the Light of the World. In the Light ofChrist, we see again. In Christ, we are freed from the dread slavery of selfishness. Weare freed to the joyous freedom of a love that opens to God and keeps opening to thepeople and the world around us.
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...