For centuries, the dominant view of how sight works was very different to what we believe now. Philosophers and scientists used to believe that our eyes project light out into the world, which thereby enables us to see things in the world around us. Now, given the discoveries of modern physics, we know that light is projected from an external source—for example, the sun—then bounces off objects and enters our eyes, allowing us to see those objects. So, darkness isn’t really a thing; it’s just the absence of light. As soon as light enters a room, the darkness disappears, and we can see.
In several places in the book of John, Jesus is called the “light of the world”. This is a profound claim. In a world full of people who are trying—in vain—to project and see by their own light, a world walking around blindly, Jesus steps in to illuminate it all for us. Because of Jesus, we are able to see the world as it really is.
As C. S. Lewis once wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else.”
So, let it be our prayer today, not only that we will see the risen Son, but that by Him we will see everything else.