Light and Love
This past weekend I spent some time reading from the works of John Muir. I always find his writings inspirational but this time especially so. Consider the following passage I came across: “Alpenglow is the most impressive of all the terrestrial manifestations of God and suggests the spiritual Love-light in which the flesh-walls of earthy tabernacles are dissolved and everything puts on immortality… The alpenglow is so holy, spiritual; even the inspired atmosphere of the New Jerusalem is inadequate. When we read, ‘And God said: Let there be light,’ we are too apt to think only of the light of the sun. But it is not the sun that makes the day, it is Love. In this Light of light, rocks and seas and everything is not only illumined, but transfigured and fused and changed into religion.”
I find Muir’s connecting of light and love to be quite meaningful and do not recall seeing this connection made elsewhere. The Bible declares that “God is light” (1 John 1:5) and that “God is love” (1 John 4:8) but you usually don’t see these metaphors conjoined as Muir does. I like the thought that when God said “Let there be light” that one can substitute the world “love” for light. The beginning of Creation is indeed a manifestation of God’s love. Light may very well represent God’s love. If nothing else, it can serve as a perpetual reminder to us that God loves us. One does not have to experience the alpenglow Muir wrote about to make the connection. Simply observing the sun in the sky or the play of light on Creation should be enough to remind us of God’s love.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus declared, “Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:16) Here, too, it would appear that substituting light for love works quite nicely. How does one let his or her light shine before others? Through deeds of love.
I am thankful for John Muir’s insight and definitely plan to give his idea further thought. I encourage you to do the same.
–Chuck