The Holy Priest-Martyr Basil, Bishop of Amasia (c. 322)
Read
Acts 10:34-43; John 8:12-20
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
Our first instinct when walking into a dark room is to slide our hand along the wall trying to feel for a switch. We know that fumbling around in the dark without the light can be challenging or even downright dangerous. Yet for many of us darkness is not much of a roadblock. The conveniences of our modern world have drastically changed the way we experience human life. With the invention and mass implementation of electricity the setting sun no longer has limits on daily activities. For better or worse we can now work at all hours of the day. It can be argued that we may have gained a greater mastery over nature, but at the cost of disconnecting from the natural order of things. We no longer feel dependent or even appreciative of the great importance the sun has on our daily life. It is essential for the order, health and survival of the world and our human race. If our planet was located any closer to the sun or any further away life would not be sustainable. The sun is not optional, but vital for human activity and life on earth.
By being disconnected from nature not only have we lost an appreciation for the importance of the sun and light, but consequently the Lord’s claim of being the ”light of the world” loses its intended significance. The Lord wants us to understand this profound reality that as much significance as the sun has for our life, the Son of God—creator of the sun—has even more. By making this claim Jesus proclaims that through him joy, health and life is brought to all men. That in him we no longer have to stumble in the dark like blind men walking the pathway of life. And that the pathway of discipleship leads to life eternal. We are reminded today that as much as we need the sun to live on earth, so we need the Son of God even more.