Did We Miss It?

The first chapter of John's Gospel account points out something that gives us insight into human nature. In verses 9 and 10, John says, ìThe true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.

How was that? How could the world miss something as momentous as the Creator of the world, the actual Light of God, taking on flesh and walking among us? Are we that blind?

Sight may have little to do with it. This has more to do with attention more than vision. Yet I am left with a perplexing thought: If it happened again would we, the world, miss it again? What attracts our attention enough to draw our focus and hold it?

That question is easily answered by the majority content of our broadcast, Internet, and print media. Do people want to hear good news? Is the world drawn to a heart-warming story of compassion, or does it turn towards a gripping story of chaotic conflict and violence? Sadly, if we judge solely by the content of our media, the latter usually wins out.

So if Christ were to come and walk among us again, would we notice? This is a fair question as we are in the season of Epiphany, the season when we Christians celebrate the manifestation of the Divine in the world. We didnít miss it! No sir, every year we celebrate it on the Feast of the Epiphany and in the unfolding revelation of Godís presence in Jesus through the stories in the Gospel accounts on subsequent Sundays. Yeah, we see it, donít we?

This is of such crucial importance because, as Kabir Helminski notes in his book, Living Presence, ìWhat you give your attention to you energize.î If we, the world, give the bulk of our attention to negative news, then we are energizing the negative world of war, incivility, crime, violence, and chaos. In that kind of attention, Johnís point of viewóìThe true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know himîóstill holds true. We missed itóand we keep missing it!

This Epiphany, I invite you to pry your attention away from the dark news of this worldóor at least give equal attention to the Light which, in fact, has never left the world. If we are observant enough, we will see everyday acts of kindness, compassion, courage, hope, and love surrounding us throughout the day.

If we maintain our attention on the Light, something even more amazing happens: We will energize that Light, and it will spread and spread and spread, challenging the dark ways of war, violence, and chaos.

Did you miss it? Can you see it? The truth of Epiphany is that the Light did come into the world. Even more important, the truth of Epiphany is that Light never did leave but dwells among us still. That Light is revealed when you expose Christ to the world through your acts of kindness, compassion, courage, hope, and love. Give your attention to these things, in others and in yourself, and watch how bright that Light becomes, fueled by Christís dwelling in you.

Joel t