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One of the most simple and yet profound comments by a contemporary of Jesus (one of his closest friends) is ‘God is light’, and light—to state the obvious—is a metaphor for all that is not darkness: radiance, vision, goodness, purity. To use an extremely lame expression, God is nice, unlike the despotic god so often portrayed by people who have not thought through their theology.
One problem is a failure to distinguish between God and his creation. The pantheist view that the universe in which we live is synonymous with (or an extension of) God raises the worrying spectre that God somehow needs this fallen world of shadows to express himself, as if it was intrinsic to his nature. If true, then we must conclude that God is toxic: a drink of absinthe, water tainted by a maddening poison. But this is not the case: ‘God is light, and in him there is no darkness.’ God does not need creation: the reality in which we live is his gracious gift, an outpouring of his goodness which, by its independence and gratuity, is able to mirror his beauty, his essence. Creation is God’s artwork, luminescent with his signature of light, permeated by love.
‘And God saw that it was good.’
And the light shines in this world of shadows. In a world obsessed by ‘truth’ (as if truth could somehow be reduced to merely verifiable facts) a man called Jesus came, claiming divinity—claiming to be the truth. He demonstrated that God’s essence is not simply a force—unlimited anonymous power—but personal and profound love. Eternal light, laser-like, was focused on this prism of divine presence burning in history, in space and time. The light was muted, cloaked by fragile humanity, but it nevertheless burned like acid through the chains of evil, and darkness was destroyed by its presence.
This lightning-strike of mystery arcing earthward is the incarnation—the decisive act of God to burn evil from his beautiful creation.

lyrics

Holy, holy, holy
Sanctus Dominus
Love song of wonder
Fills the universe

Author of creation
Power of the stars
Fierce light eternal
Burning mortal eyes

And the earth shines with the fire of your glory
And the angels hide their faces crying ‘holy!’

Holy, holy, holy
Gloria tua
Eternal presence
Veiled from our sight

Mystery of being
Infinite unknown
Supernal essence
Radiance of light

Emanation, revelation of your power
Radiation, coruscation of your fire
The refraction and reflection of your glory
With the angels we adore you crying ‘holy!’

Holy One, heaven’s sun, you’re the light of the world…

Leaving light for shadow lands
Love revealed in human hands
Reaching for the lonely and the lost

Human blood in fragile veins
Throne of heaven now exchanged
Laying down your glory in the dust

Emanation, revelation of your power
In the thunder and the lightning of your fire
Earth and heaven are the mirrors of your glory
With the angels we adore you crying ‘holy!’

Emanation, revelation of your power
Radiation, coruscation of your fire
The refraction and reflection of your glory
With the angels we adore you crying ‘holy!’

credits

from The Rock Mass, released February 4, 2014

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John de Jong UK

I grew up with a slightly schizophrenic interest in both English and American folk-blues and traditional English hymns. I've always been passionate about the acoustic guitar, but in recent recent years my tastes have expanded somewhat. The Rock Mass is evidence of this. Hope you enjoy the music! ... more

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