Light

Read: John 3:4-21

John uses the image of Moses’ staff with the bronze serpent as an illustration for Christ’s resurrection: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” The context of this remark was Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus about “being born from above” and the impossibility that human beings can go back into their mother’s womb to be born again. Nicodemus could not believe Jesus’ references to heavenly things because he could not discover an analog in earthly things. So Jesus recalled from the story of Israel’s punishment by snakes and of God’s mercy that a look at the bronze serpent will heal.

God’s intention never was to punish a sinful world for their evil ways. God loves the world by sending the Son of God “in order that the world might be saved by him.” The light shines into the darkness, but the darkness did not receive it. People loved darkness since darkness would conceal their evil deeds. God’s love and light are rejected by those who use darkness as a cover for their evil deeds. “All those who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.”

Are we persons of light or persons of darkness? Darkness hides many evils. The light of Christ shows up and removes our iniquities.

Prayer: God of light, give me strength to stand in the light that exposes and forgives sins, ant to walk in the light in the way of salvation. Amen.

Manfred Hoffmann