Maybe women did have a hand in writing the gospels; would a man really use a laundry image to convey how white something was? “And Jesus was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.”
It’s hard to avoid associating "light" and "white" with God and godliness. Jesus spoke of himself using the the image of light, and light is generally white. Often we use these terms without questioning their impact. That impact, though, can vary according to ones skin color, geography and temperament. We want to be careful not always to equate whiteness with goodness, light with purity.
But here we are, up on that mountain with four disciples – and their experience is of dazzling light, whiter than any bleach can achieve. It’s a wonder they weren’t completely blinded, as were the Israelites when Moses came down Mount Sinai glowing so brightly after his time in God’s presence, they had to veil him for their own sakes. In this story at least, light and white are linked to divine revelation. I like to think that Jesus wasn’t just revealed as being like light, but as light itself – a beam of pure energy, in which there is no darkness at all, as God is pure good without a trace of not-good.
No doubt there is much to be gained by exploring the spiritual gifts of darkness – Barbara Brown Taylor has published a book with just that theme, Learning to Walk in the Dark. But this week we celebrate Jesus as the Light of the World, and this moment when that Light was made known to the witnesses who made it known to the world.
How have you experienced God as light? How is Jesus the “light of the world” for you? What is your experience of light spiritually? I rarely associate Jesus with light in prayer, but maybe that's because I relate to his humanity so much.
Jesus said not only that he was the Light of the World – he said his followers were also the light of the world. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
I wasn’t there, so I don't know – but I believe that what the disciples saw was Light itself. But the light we shine is reflected light, the way the moon reflects the sun’s light rather than being a source itself. If we make it our intention to put ourselves in the way of the Light of the world each day, and keep our reflectors in peak condition, we will indeed let our lights shine before others. If it’s Jesus’ light we’re reflecting, they may well be dazzled.
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