Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)
The sperm on the edge of the egg, then entering it, and the brilliant illumination. Northwestern University.
I am indebted to Fr. John Clote for sharing his Homily on this subject with me. He poignantly describes the 2016 research at Northwestern University, which led to the discovery that at the precise moment a human sperm enters an egg, it emits an astonishing, bright light.
An article in Science Alert describes the biochemical process whereby the light is created, but as with so many scientific revelations, it only tells us half the story. For the other half, which, for our concern, is far more meaningful, we must transition from the temporal to the spiritual realm, and for explication, we turn to Fr. Clote’s Homily:
“Light is the revelation of God’s love in Jesus Christ and the penetration of His love into our lives darkened by sin. Jesus declares himself, ‘The light of the world’—the incarnate Word of God, who has come as the light that enlightens all people—so that those believing in Him will no longer be in darkness.”
Since this discovery, some theologians have speculated that the momentary flash of light might be the spiritual spark of the Holy Spirit ensouling the nascent human being—that is, providing it with its soul. We can’t, of course, know if that’s true, and the Church is predictably silent on the matter, but it does trigger a delightful train of thoughts in our imagination.
Regardless, that flash of light unambiguously confirms that the marriage (if you will) of the sperm and egg has miraculously created a new life, and that, in turn, creates an inviolable sanctity that must be protected, because it is animated by the hand of God. We return to Fr. Clote’s spiritual insightfulness:
“Jesus describes his disciples as light and light-bearers. So, our task as believers in Christ is to pass on the divine light we have received. And to proclaim it fearlessly. All of us who have entered into ‘The light of Christ’ now bear responsibility as missionaries of Christ, shining out as ‘lights in a dark world’ with the light of God Himself.”
The gift of life—which every one of us began with that burst of blinding light at the moment of our conception—does levy a special responsibility to shed our light of spiritual understanding to those still in the darkness. Deep in the recesses of our soul, we are reminded of the compelling words of Isaiah:
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.”
The blessings of our gift of light is a spiritual lantern for those on a path darkened by their menacing flaws and foibles. By being present to those in need—those who are struggling, the lonely, and the downtrodden—we have the unique opportunity to grace them with the light of our prayers, to offer Christ’s light reflected in our soul to ameliorate their suffering.
There are times in all of our lives when we are convinced that darkness is prevailing, that the forces of evil are suffocating us and our world, that light cannot overcome such powers. It is during such times that we must recall Fr. Clote’s spiritually informed and scripturally comforting words:
In the unfolding of biblical history, light always involves the removal of darkness. Sacred Scripture is clear: Darkness is not equal in power to God’s light. Not even close! God is the absolute sovereign who rules over the darkness and powers of evil.
Although evil is a timeless bane, and Satan is its nefarious progeny, the reality that God is omnipotent and reigns supreme is a divine solace that reassures our souls in perilous times.
Underlying the strength of these truths is another force we all have at our disposal, one which becomes ever more valuable as we grow older, and that is faith. As I suggested in my book, A Journey to the Soul, faith is an act of the will, and it is even more resilient when it is being tested. Indeed, when we cross the threshold of faith, we find its offspring, hope, and like the sun bursting through the clouds after a thunderstorm, it awakens in us a spiritual delight that is guaranteed to cast a bright light on our soul, precisely like the light that burst forth when we were conceived.
Philip E. Mella