Light is a fascinating and complicated thing.  One may only begin to comprehend light waves by thinking of the waves that happen in water when something stirs it.  The waves that move outward are made up of energy traveling through the water medium--you see the water reacting, but it is the energy waves that are actually moving. All waves are travelling energy, but light waves are different from others in that they do not need a medium through which to travel--they can even travel through a vacuum! Light waves can be absorbed, reflected, and scattered.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not understood it" (John 1:1-5).

Two mysteries--one in the natural world created by God, the other in the spiritual world created by God:

As we open ourselves to receive the Spirit of Christ, we are allowed to absorb His energy. The Light of God can abide within us. "The eye is the lamp of the body.  If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness" (Matt 6:22); "The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned" (Matt. 4:16); "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).

With the Light alive in us, we are called to reflect and to scatter His glory. When natural light is reflected, it comes off a surface in one direction (we may be called to witness one-on-one), and when it is scattered, it comes off a surface in many directions at once (we may be called to witness to groups, even crowds). "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill can not be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:14-16).  Our responsibility is to follow in the steps of Him Who has called us "out of darkness and into His wonderful light" (I Peter2:9b). Jesus told Paul, "I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:17b-18). Paul was instructed as we are, to reflect and scatter the light of Christ. "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (II Cor. 4:6).

Another neat observance of light is that it literally overcomes darkness.  My classroom has no windows.  If I light a lamp in my classroom, no matter how dark it gets outside the room, my room is light.  The darkness can not swoop in and make the room dark as long as the lamp is burning.  The light changes the atmosphere of the room. There can never be so much dark in there that the light is no longer effective. "For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:13). 

Thank You Lord Jesus for conquering my darkness and shooting Your divine energy into the vacuum of my spirit.  I pray that every day I may reflect and scatter the light of Your love to those in need. Amen