Saint Simon's Episcopal Church - Buffalo, New York

A Message from Mother Karen

The Light Shines Bright at St. Simon’s Episcopal Church

Jesus makes the statement, “I am the Light”, during the feast of the tabernacles where they would celebrate at night by lighting torches throughout the city.  When there is light the night can be very peaceful and a beautiful place.  Total darkness brings about confusion and fear.  Try navigating in the dark.

Jesus says in John 8, “I am the Light of the world”.  So what does that mean?  John uses the word ‘light’ many times in his Gospel. The term comes in many clusters in the book with the declaration at the center.  There are five teachings (clusters) with the outside four corresponding to each other.  We see a present truth about light and a future occurrence of light.  The text separates the present from the future. When you come to Jesus everything is new.  For the disciples it was seeing the incarnate Lord, for us it will be seeing the returning Lord.

Jesus is the light of the world that shines and gives life to everyone.  This passage calls our minds to the Genesis creation story.  Jesus is the light of all creation – it was in the beginning.  Think about it – if the sun looks bright, imagine our Lord.  However just like the sun the light of Christ is fleeting.  Jesus tells the disciples that after he leaves the world will become a very dark place. John says that when Judas left to betray Jesus “it was night”.  The night is not just when Christ is absent, but when life is over.  That’s why we are told to work while it is light – for today.

Without light we can’t see things or know things.  For example – you can’t see colors in the dark.  The light shows us how things are, not what we want them to be.  Think about it for a minute – when you come out of a movie theater in the middle of the day, you squint because your eyes hurt.  When you leave a bright day and go into a dark room you can’t see because your eyes strain at the darkness.

Jesus says “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.  Being with in the light produces radiant people, full of life.  People whose eyes are wide-open staring into the brilliant light of Christ and who shine that light throughout the world.

St. Simon’s is a welcoming community where the light shines.  The young care for the aging.  The aging are an example for the young families.  The children are light themselves and are eager and willing to have their own ministry serving Christ and the Church.  Come visit us and let your light shine.