From today’s New Testament reading, from the Letter of James: ‘Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change’.

‘Father of lights …’ Here is a reference to creation: ‘And God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day’.

And from Baruch: ‘The one who prepared the earth for all time filled it with four-footed creatures; the one who sends forth the light, and it goes; he called it, and it obeyed him, trembling; the stars shone in their watches, and were glad; he called them, and they said, “Here we are!” They shone with gladness for him who made them’.

Today, let us rejoice in the gift of light, giving thanks to the One who made it. May God bless you, and lift up the light of His countenance upon you, and give you peace.