It was wonderful, healing, energizing, to stand outside, and, just for a moment, close my eyes, lift my face, and bask in the incredible beauty and warmth of the sun. Steady golden warmth penetrated me, head to foot, deep into my bones. Such powerful sunlight made me think of how many pagans of Jesus' time worshiped the sun god, "Sol Invictus," whom they invoked each day at sunrise.
But a sun god is limited in power. The sun strides across the sky only from sunrise to sunset. How could such a limited sun have the power to illuminate all the emotional, physical, and spiritual darkness in human existence? Especially the final darkness of death. Our sun's rays certainly cannot penetrate the darkness of death.
Early Christians, aware of the limits of a sun god which rises and sets, worshiped Jesus as the True Sun of their lives - as Christians do today. Jesus himself said "I Am the Light of the World."
Our gift of Faith is a Light that illuminates our hearts, minds, and souls so we truly see, see clearly, our entire life's journey. Our Light of Faith penetrates through the darkness of all the complexities of our life's journey so we don't end up going in aimless, meaningless, circles.
The Light of Faith first comes to us from the past, our memory of the saving life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We see from our Church's memory, kept safe for us in the Scriptures, that Jesus' love for us is trustworthy. For the Light of Faith comes from the Risen Jesus, the Morning Star Who never sets, the True Sun Who promises and bestows on us life beyond our deaths.
But the Light of Faith also comes to us from the future, from the Risen Christ who is Lord of Time and Beyond Time, Who will carry us to eternal life beyond time, and also beyond our isolated selves. In eternity we will have full relationships, full unity, with all of God's creation. The Body of Christ will be One. Humans and all animals and sea life will communicate without fear, as we yearn to now.
There will be no more tears over separation from loved ones, only rejoicing around the Human Family's Banquet Table. There will be Peace - Everywhere, for Everyone.
What a Gift of golden Hope! For just a few moments, stand in the full sunlight of your Faith, eyes closed, face lifted, and bask in the healing, energizing, incredible beauty and warmth of the everlasting Son- Light of God, penetrating your body, deep into your bones. Your past and your future converge to this precious luminous moment in the present. No matter what sorrows and tragedies happen to you, God is illuminating your heart in prayer, consoling you with the Golden Autumnal Promise of a taste of eternity beyond the winter of death.