Our church’s big windows allow for a lot of natural
sunlight to come in, don’t they? As you know, light was
the very first thing that God created. “Let there be
light!” (Genesis 1:3) Without light, nothing can be seen,
nothing can be known. Light makes things intelligible.
It makes sense that it was the first thing God created.
What is the first thing you do when you walk into a dark
room? Turn on the light! It’s the condition of everything
else that happens in that room.

I remember the first day I got to seminary, it was a bit
of a gloomy day outside. I walked into my room and
turned on the light switch and a small desk lamp lit up. I
kept turning the light on and off as if something else
would turn on! With no ceiling light, I had to get pretty
creative with my lamps. I got the tallest floor lamp I
could, put a strong bulb in, then put it on boxes I hid
behind a chair so it would reach as high as possible.

Light is essential to life. Pope Francis’s first encyclical,
completed from the initial work of Pope Benedict, was
entitled “Lumen Fidei,” the Light of Faith. It speaks
about the importance of the light of faith, without which
the difference between good and evil can remain
shrouded in darkness. Sure, we can know right and
wrong just by the use of our reason. But anyone who
has spent a few minutes reflecting on themselves knows
their own capacity for self-deception, our ability to
choose darkness over light. Faith is a gift because it
always illuminates the path to what is good, because it
is a light that is above us and our own judgements,
judgements which can often go astray. Because God has
spoken, because we believe Him by faith, we are given
a light that illuminates the world around us. Faith is like
a floodlamp in a dark place, enabling us to work and to
make wise decisions about our surroundings. Light was
the first step in God’s creation, and faith is the first step
in our becoming a new creation in Christ. Let there be
light!

P.S. What happens when you ask people on the street,
“What if the Eucharist really were the Body and Blood
of Jesus?” Check out the excellent new 15-minute
movie on Youtube, “Dare to Believe” from the Diocese
of Madison. A very well-made production featuring
interviews with real people about the Real Presence. I
recommend!