Nature of light
In order to approach the light of Christ and its propagation, we must understand it when we see it.
When I was studying at school, from very early on, we were taught the wave theory and the corpuscular theory of light. One explained that the light had a wave nature, propagated in the form of waves, like sound or like the waves that are produced when throwing a stone in the water of a pond. The other theory described light as particles or corpuscles that traveled in a straight line through space and behaved in a similar way to billiard balls.
When a body stood in front of a source of light, it produced a zone of shadow, as if it were intercepted projectiles. But there were also areas of gloom and that was more the effect of waves. The light behaved in a strange way, confirming the two theories, but presenting problems in both. The light presented phenomena of interference and diffraction characteristic of the waves. At the same time phenomena of reflection belonging to the particles.
Maxwell
James C. Maxwell in 1865 showed that light waves are a limited spectrum of electromagnetic waves.
But the photoelectric effect raised again the question: How can a wave interact with a material object? In 1905 Albert Einstein proposes the photon as how much energy that interacts with matter and manages to tear off the electrons.
In this way, the same debate was repeated as in the eighteenth century, but on a more sophisticated level. The light behaved as an electromagnetic wave in the phenomena of interference and diffraction and as a particle, the photon, in the photoelectric. In 1924, Louis de Broglie brings together explanations to everyone’s satisfaction.
This is the current model that we accept. Light has a dual nature, behaving according to the situation in one way or another.
And that gives it the phenomenal property of illuminating, even when there are obstacles . Do it at an extraordinary speed, thus giving life a «real time» view of everything that is appropriate to their interests.
The light of Christ and its propagation
The light of Christ, also has its properties, we can see one of them in this script read before-
«… He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth» ( D & C 88: 6 )
For him there are no obstacles. Its light reaches all the places in the Universe , in the same way that a wave in a pond reaches anywhere in it. There are no eclipses or walls. It spreads like a powerful sound that reaches every corner of creation. We can say that it spreads like a wave … «Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space» ( 12 ) and there, in its presence, we have its radiant focus and as characteristic of its wave, it fills the immensity from space.
In 1924, Louis de Broglie concludes: » All matter presents both wave and particle characteristics behaving in one way or another depending on the specific experiment» The waves of matter can not be detected as its wavelength is inversely proportional to its mass , that is, the greater the mass, the shorter the wavelength.
Therefore, it is not strange that from the presence of God the light that shines «… to fill the immensity of space,» ( 88:12 ) like a wave and penetrate «through all things» ( 88: 6) ) as a particle. Nor should it seem strange to us that we do not detect it then,«We can not see it; but when our bodies are purified, we will see that everything is matter. « ( 131: 7-8 )
The spiritual stuff
I do not intend to establish a total similarity between both things, I only try to use our elements, those of our time, to understand better. In the same way that the scriptures use mustard seeds, olive fields and a valley that is called Lemuel to teach a rebellious son to be «… firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!» ( 1 Nephi 2:10 ).
This incredible restored gospel ends with the artificial battle between the intangible spirituality that Neoplatonism introduced into Christianity and the crude materialism of our rationalist era. » There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes» ( D & C 131: 7 ). The gospel tells us about the spirituality of matter .
As we have seen, that behavior as a wave, makes it reach everywhere. Beyond the spikes of any port to touch every corner of the Universe. And what is more to each space of the soul, however dark it may be.
It reaches the dark spaces
I think of the Second World War, as one of the darkest spaces that a ray of light can go through. In that time we know the most tenebrous states of the human soul of our era. Some of these obscure sites were found in the concentration camps of the Nazi regime.
Dr. Elisabeth Kubler found that even there, children who were going to die the next day drew butterflies on the walls of the barracks. Presenting its transformation from a chrysalis to a beautiful butterfly. To rise from darkness towards a new heaven.
Yes, the light of Christ spreads to every place and every soul that does not close its eyes to it. And it penetrates all things. No one can tell you … «if you knew», because he has already been there and has enlightened every soul and every space.
Up to the ghetto
A child from that horrible place, Pavel Friedmann writes a poem in the Terezín ghetto in 1942, talks about his last butterfly.
He was the last. Truly the last.
Such yellowness was bitter and blinding
Like the sun’s tear shattered on stone.
That was his true colour.
And how easily he climbed, and how high,
Certainly, climbing, he wanted
To kiss the last of my world.I have been here for seven weeks,
‘Ghettoized’.
Who loved me have found me,
Daisies call to me,
And the branches also of the white chestnut in the yard.
But I haven’t seen a butterfly here.
That last one was the last one.
There are no butterflies, here, in the ghetto.By Pavel Friedmann
4 June 1942 at Terezin
Also in a prison, in Liberty in 1839, the Prophet Joseph could not stand up completely because of where he was. However, he rose very high when he received that wonderful section, the 121. He ends with this profound phrase «… and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.» ( 46 )
The light that vivifies
gives life to all things Another property of its light, in addition to reaching everywhere, is that it penetrates everything that inhabits it. The Prophet Joseph Smith describes his impression. «Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake …» ( D & C 85: 6 ). In this way, similar to the corpuscular theory, it is able to interact with the elements «The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all thing…» ( D & C 88:13 ) . This light not only gives life, but patterns of behavior. Just as the photon pulls an electron from the photovoltaic plate, the light of Christ induces life in matter and proposes its behavior.
This action of his light in the scriptures is called vivifying. This word comes from the Latin vivificāre, (infusing vitality or energy to someone or something). Therefore, as Mormon says, without the light of Christ, «… and there could no good thing come unto them.« ( Moroni 7:24 ). Understanding in this also, that the good already existed, only that without Christ we can not receive it or interact with it.
This property of being «in all things and through all things» ( 6 ) is a quality in addition to that of «filling the immensity of space» ( 12).). These two aspects, similar to the properties of the corpuscular light that interacts with matter and as a wave that propagates to infinity that we saw at the beginning, show me the incredible precision of the scriptures when «… sit speaketh of things as they really are» ( Jacob 4:13 ).
If you listen to the voice of the Spirit
When this light acts on us, as King Benjamin taught, «and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another … » ( Mosiah 2:21 ). On top of that, it has the power to penetrate the interior of our soul and make changes. «…I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;» ( D & C 11:13 ).
But on the part of us there has to be an attitude of reception to that light. We have the power to close our minds to that light because, «And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit. «( D & C 84:46 ).
Many times we do not understand why we have not been given a sense, in addition to sight, smell etc. to be able to detect that light naturally. In the restored gospel, we understand that this search is a choice, and that choice does not rest on the other senses. The prophet Alma relates once again the faith with agricultural work, which requires faith. «… looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit .» ( Alma 32:40 ). A similar faith to say in a dark and messy place «let there be light.»
The light in his words
In its propagation through the immensity of space, in the end it reaches each one of us.
«And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;» ( D & C 88:11 ).
These words of the Savior are in themselves valuable because of their aesthetics. It deserves the effort to memorize them for their beauty and for their teaching. But only because of its beauty is enough reason to do it. I believe that through her, we learn more than from her study.
If we allow ourselves to be guided by the path of words and their message, even without scrutinizing them, we notice the power to pierce our soul through the one who illuminates .
Speaking of its attractiveness, this verse is powerful, it is full of action, with its five well-harmonized verbs. Let’s look. The action is presented in the likeness of a ray of light. All its development in a single sentence is like a ray of light that starts from its origin and flows without interruption until it reaches the reader. And I would add in this flow, the verb to fill with verse 12. it shines , it illuminates , it comes , it enlightens and it vivifies
The first thing that draws attention is the constancy in mentioning thelight that shines, we’ve talked about this before. That brightness has to do with us.
The light that illuminates
The light of Christ shines and enlightens us . The word light comes from the Latin lux (light, luminosity) to illuminate comes from the Latin illumināre (to fill with light and clarity something). The difference between these two words is important. The word light comes with an intention and not just a property like the word light . The light does not become light inside us until he enlightens us.
When we do something and we lack light, we say to someone «bring me up here.» We suggest that we need a particular light for our eyes. The one that allows us to understand what we have in front of us.
Also the Universe of the infrared does not become light in our retina but through the Planck orbital telescope launched on May 14, 2009. It illuminates in our mind, images of the initial period of the Universe detecting its infrared radiation.
Our eyes
We do not need to add instruments to our eyes to see what we need to live. The light that shines, Christ, illuminates «…As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made..» ( D & C 88: 7 ) «… As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; « ( 9 ) and in us it gives light. Or what is the same gives us clarity. This word comes from the Latin clarus (calls attention, evident, bathed in light, which is well distinguished).
So its light illuminates us to have clarity in seeing the world and its objects. It enlightens us in distinguishing the obvious things from our interest in this world.
Illuminate our body
It even illuminates the cells of our body. Composed of inert matter, nevertheless they are alive. Its outer membrane makes them individual and distinguished from the rest. They have light and knowledge within them, they strive to maintain order and escape from death, they subsist in time. Contrary to the external matter that increasingly tends to its maximum disorder. That cell rises and exclaims «not inside me» she tends to the maximum order while she lives. She, like the stars and like us, also receives the light that shines , illuminates , comes , enlightensand vivifies. Inside there is clarity.
Considering this cellular world as a kingdom , the words, «And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. « ( D & C 88:38 ) charge a broader meaning. And for us, if we have clarity in our minds we can say, «Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power..» ( 47 )
Nephi is a prophet who loves clarity, a word not used by the Jews of Jerusalem, «For my soul delighteth in plainness … For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding …» ( 2 Nephi 31: 3 ). Isaiah speaks to us of that light that like a ray, shines , illuminates , comes , enlightens and vivifies.
«The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.» ( Isaiah 60:19 ).
The same light that is in the Sun, that vivifies it, the same that we share with it and that vivifies us.
» The day we left » We are in the previous world, in the pre-existence. The time has come to depart towards the earth. How was that day? How were our emotions ?. Let’s pay a visit to that day we left our home.
Be the first to comment