The Light of the world
Given by The Right Reverend Miguel Tamayo Bishop of Cuba
“I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD”, Jesus said to the people. Jesus’ words “I am the light of the world” evoke the book of Genesis: “And God said, let there be light,” and there was light. Light was God’s first Creation. In the exodus tradition God led Israel in the wilderness as a pillar of fire at night to “give them light”. The associations of light with the exodus and God’s self-revelation to Moses in the burning bush provide continuity between this gospel reading and the exodus traditions evoked also in chapter 6.
Light is also a frequent Old Testament symbol of “theophany”, God’s revelation. In the wisdom tradition, light is a symbol for the law or the Word of God and for Wisdom itself. Light also figured as a symbol of God or God’s Word in Hellenistic Judaism.
The Fourth Evangelist gives that symbol a new meaning by identifying it with the revelation of God in Jesus Light is the central image for the presence of the Word in the world.
“Light” and “life” are identified in chapter 1: 4 as two ways in which the Word expresses itself in the world and also are signs of the Word’s relationship to the world, they are the ways in which humanity experiences the incarnate Word.
So we take Jesus´ words: “whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of God. In other words, whoever follows my teaching will have knowledge. The gift of light is the most generous and kindest God´s present to humanity because is Jesus, the Christ, God himself incarnate.
Being His beloved children, the “chosen people”, we are to follow the language of discipleship, the language of obedience, humbleness, acceptance, understanding; the language of giving and receiving, most of all, the language of sharing the gift of God with others, the language of faith which can only lead us through the path of the true wisdom, Jesus, the light of the world.
The Anglican/Episcopal Church emerged as a manifestation of the incarnate Word in the world; it has been an amazing spark from the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. For almost four centuries the fire has been constantly burning despite the strong threatening winds, which we can still feel upon us.
The Anglican/ Episcopal Church is a gift of God to the world, each and every one of us is a flame that makes possible the Anglican Communion; thus, it is our commitment to keep the fire of the Main Candle alive and burning.
We are challenged to show openness to new ways of being flames of the Light of the World, so, brothers and sisters, let us pray God that He gives us the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds and hearts in His Wisdom and soften our hearts in His Divine Grace so that we can be faithful bearers of THE LIFE AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
GOD BLESS US ALL..Amen.