--"But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." --[John 3:21 / NIV] ~~
--I generally think of prayer as something I do with my eyes closed. That's how I do it at home or sitting on the subway on my way to work. But recently I was at a museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, and in one skylighted room with magnificent art on the walls, my eyes lingered over an old favorite, Nicodemus by the American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner.
Here was Nicodemus the Pharisee meeting with Jesus at night--for fear of being seen with Jesus in broad daylight. I thought of how fear can get in the way of faith. Maybe darkness can be a blessing at times, giving me a chance to go where my daylight self would rather not.
In the painting Jesus is infused with light. Some of it comes up the stairway to the rooftop when He and Nidodemus are sitting. Some of it comes from Jesus' own luminous presence. The bearded Nicodemus leans forward and I could imagine his bewilderment when Jesus tells him, "Unless someone is born anew. It's not possible to see God's kingdom."
Later in the Gospel of John it is Nicodemus who defends Jesus against the Pharisees and then brings seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloe to Jesus's burial site. That nighttime visit changed him. I could imagine it all happening from the picture I was seeing.
I got up from the bench, taking the images of the painting with me It had spoken to my mind's eye and I hadn't closed my own eyes at all. ~~
----"Father God, I bask in Your love and light so that I might spread it and bring more love and light to You, and into this world, In Jesus Name. amen"
