June 21 this year is the Summer Solstice (Northern hemisphere). This is the time when the light is at its greatest and the dark at its shortest. The Summer Solstice is on the longest day/shortest night and is a celebration of light’s power over darkness. It is the time of year where the light burns highest and brightest, where work can be done the longest (in pre-powered days) and wars are fought. This fits in well with the Christian celebration of Jesus, the Light of the world, and what he came to accomplish, put in the words of John’s gospel: “The Light shone in the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it.” (1v5), and later in one of his letters “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1John 3v8). In the days of the Celtic church the main understanding of the work of the cross of Christ was not a substitutionary work, as we mostly see it today, Jesus was the substitute punishment for us and our sin, this view was only popularised about 900 years ago, the main understanding in the days of the Celtic church was of Christ as the great victor over the powers of spiritual darkness. As the words of the great Saxon poem ‘The Dream of the Rood’ show (yorku.ca/inpar/Dream_Rood_Kennedy.pdf). A Prayer for the Summer Solstice: Great Light, come and illume and guide us today. Shine forth with radiance and power into the darkness that covers this land. Let not the days of our destruction overcome us, let not the darkness have its way, leave us not to our own evil devices and immoral ways, but come and shine with brilliance over this nation, raise us again into that which we have been and can be again. By your power exercised on the cross. Light of the world, shine within me today, shine from within me today and all days hence forth, let naught but you be indwelling in me and naught but you stand out in me. Great Light, be my guide and hold me fast that I may be the light upon a hill which cannot be hidden. Amen
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 09:30:21 +0000
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