Mystery Exposed
Christmas is always a feast of Light, emphasising Christ is the Light born into the world and shining in the darkness. We see lot of lights in Christmas decorations as a symbol for that meaning. The epilogue of St John that we listen to at Christmas Day Mass proclaims the Word made flesh is Life and Light of the world. Isaiah in the 1st reading overwhelmingly mentions light “Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light.”
The nature of light scientifically remains a mystery, whether it is a particle or wave or both when travelling, it puzzles the mind of scientists. Light is a mystery. Light is abundantly used in liturgy to emphasis Christ is the Light. It is a constant theme that we keep hearing about it in readings and prayers during Christmas season. There is something mystical about light.
All religions use mystery as something to be kept secret and hidden so as to create an aura completely beyond human comprehension, something mystifying beyond the human mind. The Christian understanding of mystery, on the contrary, is quite different. It is something beyond our human comprehension, yet it is also to be revealed. We are not totally kept in the dark but called to be engaged and grasp its meaning. Whenever mystery is mentioned in scriptures, we always find reference to revealing or making known about that mystery.
The feast of Epiphany is a mystery of Light being revealed. Epiphany in Greek means the unveiling of the curtain so that whatever is hidden behind the curtain will be revealed, exposed in day light. The mystery of God is revealed, not only to the Jews but also to every people and nation of the earth symbolised by the Magi at the crib worshipping Jesus. St Paul in the 2nd reading mentions the mystery hidden is now revealed to him and that mystery is also made known to everyone, that even the gentiles are also called to be coheirs by God’s grace. Mystery in Christian tradition is to be opened up and made known.
God is revealing Himself to us in scriptures, in liturgical celebration and in the events of our daily lives. Mystery is to be lived from inside out, not just by mental intellectual analysis from a distance. It is like love to be experienced if one is to understand what love is. As St Augustine once said, “Believe so that you may understand.” The action of believing matters.
If our life journey, like those Magi’s, is about searching for God, there will be moments we encounter the clouds of darkness and the unknown of the mind. It is not time to give up in the heart, knowing that God will never get tired of revealing Himself to us. In his loving mercy, God desires to make Himself known to us, for by knowing Him and believing in Him, we are saved.