“Merciful Father, as you have sent the Holy Spirit on Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, to write all that You wished and wanted, we pray You, send the same Holy Spirit on us, so that we may understand, appreciate Your Word, and make it our plan of life. This we ask for the merits of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
35….”Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord, my God, You are exceedingly great. You have put on praise and beauty, You are clothed in light as with a garment. Psalm 103/4: 2
Light and darkness; two simple words with deep realities. We find that religions of antiquity always believed in the eternal strife between Marduk, the god of light against darkness. In the Egyptian temples there was always present a light in front of the statues of the gods. This light was symbolic of ‘life’ and also served as a ‘petition’ for protection.
According to the Manichean belief, both the universe and humanity were born from the chaos of light and darkness. In the beginning God created light (Gen.1/3). After the creation of light we have day and night.
Light is an attribute of Divinity, as quoted in the above Psalm. When the Prophet Isaiah prophesied the Birth of the Messiah, he spoke of a bright light shining amidst those who were walking in the dark. The sign, mark of salvation is evident in the arrival of the light, “The light of your countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us; You have given gladness to my heart.”
The Prophet Habbakuk also presents the same idea by saying that God is light, saying that the light is like that of the sun and that rays of light emanate from His hands. Was this the same image which St.Faustina Kowalska saw in her Revelations? Habakkuk says more, that there, in His hands is found all His power. (Hab. 3, 3-4), (Job, 37, 22-23).
The truth, the fact that God IS light finds its total, complete fulfillment in Jesus Christ. This has been declared by Christ Himself. Lets go back to that day when Mary presented baby Jesus, just 40 days old, in the Temple. The prophet Simon prophesied: “A light to give light to all nations.” (Lk.2/32).
In the New Testament, John always presented, spoke of Jesus as the light of the world. In fact he shows Jesus as the light in His words and actions. We recall what was said to the Pharisee Joseph of Nicodemus: “Light came into the world, but men have preferred darkness to light, because their actions were evil.” (John 3.19)
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband”. Revelations.
Sion, Jerusalem, Mary
The city of Jerusalem built, constructed on a mount, had a fortrss called ‘Sion’. On this same mount, Solomon had built the Temple. On the same spot where the Temple was built, Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, according to God’s wishes. It was then known as the Hill of moriah. On the same spot Melchisedech, the High Priest, offered ‘wine and bread’. The only instanece when bread and wine were offered, when the usual sacrifice was of fruit or animals. /36
Certain information,from “Signs and Symbols in the Bible” by kind permission of Mons. Lawrence Sciberras, Biblical Scholar, Gozo, Malta.
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