Praying with icons - January 11, 2026
- Fr. Tim Boyle
- Jan 9
- 2 min read
Creation of light
John chose this wonderful opening phrase 'in the beginning' to connect our minds and hearts to where the story all began in Genesis.
The words, the images are intentional because we're meant to see the connection between that first creative act of God and the incarnation of God. The creative word of God brought
into being the light of all existence and the creative word of God, the logos entered into created existence in the person of Jesus.
Every person is an embodiment, an infreshment of this ongoing incarnation of the creative word of God. The logos who brought all things into being continues to work in the world, pouring upon us and bringing life into the world through us.
Think of these words from the Gospel of John, 'what has come into being in him was life and
the life was the light of all people.' All people. There are no qualifiers here, no boxes to check, no paperwork, no exam. All we have is a description of human existence that holds that every human being is filled with the light of God.
Every single person we meet is a God-bearer. Every single human being must be welcomed as Christ. Every person is to be welcomed as Christ. Underneath all the grasping and seeking and worrying and anxiety, our hearts know this truth, we're not meant to control this reality, only celebrate it and share it with others.
The powerful words, 'let there be light', is an invitation for light to do what light does. God gives light permission to shine, to embrace, and to embody God's role in the world.
Every person, every creative thing is an identity and a purpose that the divine voice of love wants light to embrace in a body. And that's our mission to embrace and embody the light of Christ in every one of us.
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