Justin Appel

Again, Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the light of the world…’
—John 8: 12

Dear Friends,

Today’s gospel lesson contains one of Jesus’ most memorable “I am” statements, pointing to a state of illumination in which we who follow Christ may also walk:

“Whoever follows me shall never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (Verse 12)

What is this light? What is its nature, and how do we relate to it?

This is where we can refer to the traditional teaching of God’s Uncreated Light. This light, we are told by theologians, is essentially God’s energy, or presence in the world.

It is the light of Mount Tabor when Jesus was transfigured before the disciples. Of this light, Vladimir Lossky said, “The divine rays penetrate the whole created universe and are the cause of its existence.”

This light, however, isn’t light in the sense that we know physical light. It is the presence in which “we live and move and have our being,” as St. Paul put it (Acts 17:28).

The Eastern prayer books themselves present language asking God to “show us the light of your countenance” so that we may see “your unapproachable light.” The desired outcome of all this glorious illumination follows: “that we may keep your commandments.”

Beyond this, we know that Jesus also claimed that we are “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) in the context of his Sermon on the Mount. We understand this in connection to being “temples of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19), to whom the Comforter is given as we receive Baptism and the Holy Eucharist, and as we “love one another” (John 13:34).

This also means that we can ignore God’s light, decline to walk with him, and fail to be “united with the love of Christ.” Nothing could be a greater tragedy for any of us. However, if we follow Christ and take up our cross, this light will shape our lives.

“Make the light of Your countenance shine upon us, that in it we may see Your unapproachable light, and guide our steps that we may keep your commandments.”

For this passage, I will share a link to David Hill’s setting of Psalm 27:1, Dominus Illuminatio.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom than shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?”

Yours in Christ,

—Justin