11. sunday:day of light

"the day of light, the day of resurrection, the day of the spirit" is the description of sunday used by h. b. porter in his slender volume the day of light: the biblical and liturgical meaning of sunday, which is one of those wonderful books that are bigger on the inside than they are on the outside.

porter bridges the light that is at the beginning of creation in genesis ("god said, 'let there be light,' and there was light." [genesis 1:3] and the light that is at the beginning of the incarnation in the gospel according to john ("the word was the true light/that enlightens all men;/and he was coming into the world." [john 1:9]), and the light of the transfiguration in the synoptic gospels (matthew 17:1-8; mark 9:2-8; luke 9:28-36). although he mentions that "pure light, independent of the sun, moon, or stars" has a special importance "as the type of god's creative activity," he does not explore the mystery with which this light is approached in both judaism and eastern christianity.

howard schwartz presents its importance for judaism:

". . . what was the light of the first day?

"in discussions scattered throughout the rabbinic, kabbalistic, and hasidic literature, the rabbis consider this question. they search for clues about this mysterious light in every book of the bible, and find the clue they need in a prophecy of isaiah. he speaks about what the world would be like in the messianic era: 'moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days.' (isaiah 30:26) . . .

"drawing on isaiah's explanation, the rabbis conclude that the two lights--that of the first day and that of the fourth--are different. the light of the first day is a primordial light, what they call the haganuz or hidden light."

in christianity the primordial light is usually called the uncreated light in the east, the uncomprehended light in the west. it is a matter of long and complicated debate whether the light is part of the very nature of god (an idea picked up in the nicene creed when we say that the son is "light from light, true god from true god") or immanates from god (an idea that finds support in the accounts of moses and elijah, who somehow see god and live (exodus 33 and 1 kings 19) and then appear again at the transfiguration of jesus.

what porter does do that is perhaps even more important is point out the very early understanding of the church, expressed in paul's letters again and again, nowhere more clearly proclaimed than in the second letter to the corinthians (4:6): "it is the same god that said 'let there be light shining out of the darkness,' who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of god's glory, the glory of the face of christ."

one of my favorite sunday morning activities is to rise before sun and go to a high hillside where i can watch the new-shining light recreate a valley or a lake or an arm of the ocean. sometimes i will chant the opening of psalm 104 (1-2a):

"bless YHWH my soul.
YHWH my god, how great you are!
clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in a robe of light."

it always seems the perfect preparation for the liturgy which follows, which will begin as the people of god gather and light the candles on the holy table: "christ our light!"