A Penitent Blogger
Nations shall walk by your light
Today’s first reading (Isaiah 60:1-6) is a wonderful prophecy that found fulfillment in the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi, which we remember in a special way on the Solemnity of the Epiphany today.
This prophecy also speaks of the role that the People of God will play as beacons of God’s light to the world.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you...
This prophecy, however, is not fulfilled only by the coming of the Lord two thousand years ago nor just by his return at the end of time.
In some ways (infinitely lesser, but real nevertheless), you and I are called to participate in the fulfillment of this prophecy, for we in this day and age are the People of God: called to be beacons of God’s light to the world.
As our Lord himself said (Matthew 5:14):
You are the light of the world.
We are the light of the world in giving witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the true light and the infinite love of God.
We do this by what we say and what we do.
And nations shall walk by our light.
Now, in many nations (the United States and others), it is an intensely political time and that often means conflict (marked by divisive rhetoric and emotion or even – as happened very recently in Kenya – violent atrocities): conflict into which religion sometimes becomes involved.
Foes of religion often seize upon such conflicts (and the even bloodier atrocities of past centuries) as an excuse to drive religion out of the public square (if not suppress it entirely).
These foes of religion, of course, usually neglect to mention that the worst and most bloody atrocities were instigated by politicians who were godless.
These godless men brought history’s greatest darkness upon the world.
It is into such darkness that we, as people of faith and followers of Christ, must shine our light.
Sometimes people will assert that political decisions should be based on science and reason alone – without any input from faith.
Such assertions are laughably specious and intellectually naïve.
"Science," as a famous philosophy student once said, "is pure empiricism and, by virtue of its method, it excludes metaphysics": which is a complex way of saying that science only deals with what man can experience through his senses. Even when technology extends the reach of these senses to things incredible small or incredibly far, it is foolish and dangerous arrogance to assume that the only things that exist are what man can see, feel, and hear.
As for reason, even the most elegant syllogisms of the most hardened atheist are built on premises rooted in something very much like faith (twisted and perverted as it may be).
Good scientists always recognize the limits of their knowledge and proper application of the scientific method never goes beyond it.
Moreover, within its limits, science may expand our knowledge of what is and technology may expand the limits of what can be, but neither of them by themselves are competent to decide what ought to be.
Indeed, the worst damage done to this world by man – from the destruction of the environment around humankind to the destruction of the natural order among humankind – was the fruit of science and technology unleashed.
It is into such darkness that we, as people of faith and followers of Christ, must shine our light.
We dare not ever let science or technology or politics become separated from moral considerations and moral considerations always find their root in faith.
That is not to say that the best form of government would be a clerocracy (i.e., rule by clerics – true theocracy would be direct rule by God himself, which will come to pass only when Christ comes again). Church leaders may enjoy special charisms for protecting and proclaiming the faith and for being instruments of God’s grace, but not generally for civil governance per se.
Until the Lord comes again, we as citizens must govern ourselves as best we can: using the knowledge of science, the innovations of technology, the rigor of reason, and also the light of faith – faith which motivates us and leads us toward what is truly good.
This prophecy also speaks of the role that the People of God will play as beacons of God’s light to the world.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you...
This prophecy, however, is not fulfilled only by the coming of the Lord two thousand years ago nor just by his return at the end of time.
In some ways (infinitely lesser, but real nevertheless), you and I are called to participate in the fulfillment of this prophecy, for we in this day and age are the People of God: called to be beacons of God’s light to the world.
As our Lord himself said (Matthew 5:14):
You are the light of the world.
We are the light of the world in giving witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the true light and the infinite love of God.
We do this by what we say and what we do.
And nations shall walk by our light.
Now, in many nations (the United States and others), it is an intensely political time and that often means conflict (marked by divisive rhetoric and emotion or even – as happened very recently in Kenya – violent atrocities): conflict into which religion sometimes becomes involved.
Foes of religion often seize upon such conflicts (and the even bloodier atrocities of past centuries) as an excuse to drive religion out of the public square (if not suppress it entirely).
These foes of religion, of course, usually neglect to mention that the worst and most bloody atrocities were instigated by politicians who were godless.
These godless men brought history’s greatest darkness upon the world.
It is into such darkness that we, as people of faith and followers of Christ, must shine our light.
Sometimes people will assert that political decisions should be based on science and reason alone – without any input from faith.
Such assertions are laughably specious and intellectually naïve.
"Science," as a famous philosophy student once said, "is pure empiricism and, by virtue of its method, it excludes metaphysics": which is a complex way of saying that science only deals with what man can experience through his senses. Even when technology extends the reach of these senses to things incredible small or incredibly far, it is foolish and dangerous arrogance to assume that the only things that exist are what man can see, feel, and hear.
As for reason, even the most elegant syllogisms of the most hardened atheist are built on premises rooted in something very much like faith (twisted and perverted as it may be).
Good scientists always recognize the limits of their knowledge and proper application of the scientific method never goes beyond it.
Moreover, within its limits, science may expand our knowledge of what is and technology may expand the limits of what can be, but neither of them by themselves are competent to decide what ought to be.
Indeed, the worst damage done to this world by man – from the destruction of the environment around humankind to the destruction of the natural order among humankind – was the fruit of science and technology unleashed.
It is into such darkness that we, as people of faith and followers of Christ, must shine our light.
We dare not ever let science or technology or politics become separated from moral considerations and moral considerations always find their root in faith.
That is not to say that the best form of government would be a clerocracy (i.e., rule by clerics – true theocracy would be direct rule by God himself, which will come to pass only when Christ comes again). Church leaders may enjoy special charisms for protecting and proclaiming the faith and for being instruments of God’s grace, but not generally for civil governance per se.
Until the Lord comes again, we as citizens must govern ourselves as best we can: using the knowledge of science, the innovations of technology, the rigor of reason, and also the light of faith – faith which motivates us and leads us toward what is truly good.
posted by Penitens | 9:22 AM
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