" The words "let there be light" (Genesis 1) are the first divine words in Holy Scripture.
Every morning the sun rises greeting us with light flowing into our life as if to say, rise out of darkness into the light.
How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world. ~ William Shakespeare
There are people facing overwhelming challenges who use the term "I'm in a dark place" to illustrate their difficulty engaging comfortably with other people. Out of the blue so to speak, enlightenment presents us with an opportunity to see, or recognise that which had previously been concealed. Metaphoric language may well be poetic in its attempt to reveal reality often staring at us, but out of sight when our thoughts are immersed in darkness.
The Road to Emmaus story also illustrates the difficulty of two of Jesus' apostles seeing reality walking at their side, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth chatting with them, in the manner of a long standing close friend.
The two apostles did not recognise the Risen Lord, this stranger who asked them what was troubling them. One of the apostles Cleopas, said of the Crucified Christ, “…we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21)
Here lies the difficulty for many believers failing to embrace the reality walking at their side speaking of His love for them.
Enlightenment is a term used by many religions to identify a dramatic change in understanding, or awareness that their life has been changed; transformed by an event that had suddenly, and without warning opened their eyes to reality.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” ~ Luke 24
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