From night to light
Jesus’ birth and life show us that the light of Christ is always shining for us to see and follow, even when darkness seems to dominate.
Don McLean’s song “Vincent” is a tribute to the artist Vincent van Gogh, who, although suffering from dark and oppressive thoughts, painted scenes filled with bright light, including yellows and blues that swirl with joy. To me, the lyrics rejoice in van Gogh’s vibrant individuality, shining like a twinkling star in the night sky, that could not be hidden by dark thoughts.
This makes me think of a time this past summer when my husband stepped into our backyard several times to witness the aurora borealis that had been predicted in our area. Unfortunately, he didn’t see the colorful display. The next day our neighbor posted on our neighborhood’s Facebook page beautiful pictures of vivid blues, greens, pinks, and purples glowing in the sky. He had adjusted his camera so that it could pick up the light show that had not been visible to the naked eye. So my husband had actually been surrounded by those same vibrant colors. He just hadn’t seen them.
To me this is a useful metaphor for something I’ve learned through Christian Science, the Science of being: Night can never truly destroy light. As the Psalmist writes, “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you” (Psalms 139:11, 12, New International Version).
We might think of night or darkness as gloomy states of thought – such as doubt, pain, or fear. But Christian Science reveals that man (a term that includes all of us in our true nature as God’s spiritual offspring) is the full representation of God’s declaration, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3).
Spiritual light – the beauty, joy, and wholeness of God’s goodness – is actually filling all space, whether we see it or not. Dark thoughts may seem to hide this light, but as God’s children we’re all capable of breaking through the night and glimpsing the evidences that light and clarity of thought are, in fact, ever present. Darkness, which has no place in God, infinite good, cannot diminish or destroy them in any way.
The wise men who traveled to find baby Jesus, the newborn “King of the Jews,” in order to worship him were well aware of the light that shines, even when there seems to be deep darkness (see Matthew 2:1-12). The political climate during that time was oppressive. When King Herod heard their plans, he set out to have the babe murdered, because he was afraid that he would lose his throne.
This was night indeed! But by following the eastern star, that pinpoint of light that stood above Jesus, the wise men were led not just to a seemingly vulnerable baby, but to the Christ that Jesus exemplified. They were some of the first to experience what Paul, a follower of Jesus, later wrote: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (II Corinthians 4:6).
Centuries later, Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, wrote, “The star of Bethlehem is the light of all ages; is the light of Love, to-day christening religion undefiled, divine Science ...” (“Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896,” p. 320).
Speaking of the eternal Christ, Christ Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). To have the “light of life” implies that we, as God’s image and likeness, reflect God’s light. As we yield to this Christ message, we naturally express and experience more goodness, kindness, thoughtfulness, loving affection, health, and safety. Thus we prove, step by step, the spiritual and practical fact that the light of God, good, never goes out.
Night in whatever form, including fear, sickness, or difficulty, can never in any way dim the glorious light that is God, Love. Even the tiniest glimmer of light says, “I am here; hold on, and the darkness will disappear in Love’s everlasting light,” because darkness cannot exist in the allness of Love.
No matter what difficulty we may be facing, Christ, or the light of God’s love, is here to guide us out. As we realize that this light is all that is truly present and real, fearful thoughts and suggestions disappear. The night, which is only the seeming absence of light, begins to dissipate, and the morning dawns, revealing to us inspired and healing views of existence.