A few years ago, I was in Nazareth at the Church of the Annunciation. The tour guide pointed out that the dome was shaped like a lighthouse, symbolizing a guiding light drawing people to salvation. As you likely know, lighthouses aid maritime travelers as they navigate dangerous waters. The architecture also points to the words of Jesus in John 8:12:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
While reflecting on that architecture, I thought about Moses, whose face shone brightly after spending time in the presence of God. The brightness was so overwhelming that people could not look at him, and he had to cover his face with a veil.
If Jesus is the light of the world, and through baptism we live as Christ in the world (Galatians 2:19–20), then, in a mysterious way, we too become light in the world. This brought to mind a hymn sung in the Catholic Church:
“We are the light of the world;
May our light shine before all,
That they may see the good that we do,
and give glory to God.”
— We Are the Light of the World, Jean Anthony Greif
If Christ truly lives within us, then His light is meant to shine into the world through us. Sometimes our faces reflect that saving grace clearly. Other times, we feel a need to cover that light like Moses, but our situation is different. He covered his face because the people could not bear the brightness he reflected after being in God’s presence. The light we bear is not an external reflection, like the light of the moon. It comes from the living presence of Christ, the light of the world, who dwells within us. When we allow His light to shine through us, we become a lighthouse of Christ’s glory in the world; we become a beacon by which others navigate the rocky waters and find their way home.
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