April 9, 2024

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Find out what pleases the Lord. Do not get drunk on strong drink which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit [as evidenced by], speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ” (Ephesians 5; 18-20)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

I have no doubt there are many scientific, moral, philosophical and theological truths we can learn from yesterday’s “total eclipse” experience. In “light” of yesterday’s Reflection on God’s Word, I would like to lift one lesson which may help us put faith into action in our own lives. The whole event lasted only a matter of hours. For those who were able to experience the “totality” event itself where the light of the Sun was blocked by the crossing of the moon the total time was somewhere between 2.5 and 4.5 minutes. In other words, the shadow did not last forever. There was even a video shot from the space station in orbit above the earth capturing the shadow as it moved from southwest to northeast across Mexico, the United States and Canada. It, too, bore witness to the simple fact that the darkness was only a passing reality. What remained dominant was the distinct light generated by the Sun. Even with the Moon blocking the Sun perfectly (perimeter to perimeter) from our perspective, the corona and prominences was also visible even the to naked eye. Shielded and filtered cameras were able to capture active sunspots on the surface of the Sun as the Moon slowed consumed the Sun and after it “released” its hold on the moment. The Moon’s victory was temporary. The Sun’s victory was inevitable. If the Sun could wear a t-shirt, it might say “I survived the Great Eclipse of 2024.”

So, did the Sun worry or show great concern about having its light deflected by the Moon? It is easy enough to say “No” because we know the Sun doesn’t operate as we do. And in the moments of totality, there was a strange sense of peace created in awe of the event. Those who were fortunate to be “under” the eclipse felt temperature change, perhaps the wind pick up, heard nighttime noises during the afternoon hours and a virtual hush of calm. There was no panic. There was no frantic fears of alien invasion, body snatchers or demons and dragons emerging out of the earth. The myths and legends were put aside. The truth of the event was awe-inspiring. And while there was no concern if the light of day would be seen again, the surge of living expressions returned in force, a bit changed by the experience perhaps, and the day moved forward. Jesus taught, recorded in Matthew 6, “Do not worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow is already full without you adding to it. Rather, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. In doing this, all that is needed will be provided.” Because we are believers in Jesus as the Christ, our concerns for that passage of life into the days ahead which we cannot see can fade away as easily as did the eclipsing of the Sun. In the matter of minutes to a few hours, the past and present and future merged as one. Civility, in the path, was restored. Community was celebrated. Wonder was known by both adults and children. It was marvelous.

And here is a lesson we can glean from the harvest sown by God in His Heaven. The ancients who feared such events cursed the Moon which they could not see. It was the shadow that was visible to our eyes. Slowly it consumed the light of the Sun as a child eating ice cream, an adult eating a hamburger or a pet consuming its meal. Bite by bite the Sun disappeared. There were no real bites. The Sun was not consumed only blocked from our eyes. The nature and character of the Sun didn’t change. I do not think that the nature and character of the Moon changed. The earth as a planet may have experienced some effects. The greatest impact was upon those who witnessed the event itself. Built up in anticipation, even veteran observers of past eclipses marveled that each one is different based on time, environment and placement on earth. As Paul spoke to the Ephesians who were experiencing great challenges in their community-at-large because of their faith in Jesus Christ and in their own faith community in particular, he reminded them of focusing on the light of faith. It was certainly one thing to speak against the wrongs in life as they came to identify them. It was another to acknowledge the overwhelming and surviving promise of truth which was their benchmark for such decisions. The believers were encouraged to remain steadfast in their nature and character of “being in the light.” The contrast between light and dark would be the evidence needed to support their stand in the world and in the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven. Paul asks them to have confidence in the light which is of God.

How were they to do it? First, they were to abstain from the drink of debauchery. While Paul was speaking of wine and liquor to excess, he also we speaking to the intoxicating “drink” of gossip, lies and false teachings. To counteract and contradict that, the Ephesians were encouraged to worship and praise God in the name of Jesus. They were to sing songs, psalms, hymns and spiritual hymns. They were to sing, make songs and give praise. In a similar fashion Paul would address the Corinthian community of faith in Jesus Christ in terms of “the wine of the new covenant.” In the expression of “remembering” via communion, the breaking of bread and partaking of the cup of promise, the community of faith basked in the light of God’s mercy and grace. These were evidenced in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as well as His promise of resurrection to all who would believe and stand firm. In other words, let the shadows of the world fall where they may. However, let the light of the world shine brightly wherever you are. Know that the light of truth cannot be consumed but will only increase and the darkness will decrease. Sound advice for all of us who are living out our faith in these days. The world wants to eclipse us with verbal barrages, inuendoes and edicts of conformity to the way of the world. But, there is no bright future in them. The bright future is in Jesus Christ our Lord. He alone is our salvation. He alone is the light of truth. He alone is the way and the means of being moved from earth to Heaven on that Day. And that Day is coming when the shadows will disappear, the darkness will be cast out and the light of God’s glory and grace will surround us and give us peace.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, before we were conceived in the womb, You had already formed us in Your love and by Your Spirit spoke us into being. Each one of us is blessed with the opportunity of doing right, being good and producing the fruit of the Spirit so that others may be fed the truth of that same love so that the two will become one. It is our soul’s sincere desire to embrace the oneness You have in mind that we would know that we are Your people and that You are our God. Lead us in that discovery of the truth and the manifestation of that love for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.