Being married
to an artist and illustrator I realise just how important colour is to
enriching our lives. After the dark nights and grey days of winter
what a joy and delight it is to see again the white snowdrops and the yellow
daffodils. On a lovely post-Christmas circular trip all around Tunisia
- how delightful it was to see the blue of the Mediterranean after the
aridity of the Sahara.
I wonder
if you have ever noticed how the Bible in general and the New Testament
in particular, is noticeably lacking in colour. Outside the Book
of Revelation there are only twenty seven words in the entire New Testament
depicting colour. White occurs eight times; purple - seven times;
red and black - three times each and gold, green and scarlet - twice each.
The words brown, yellow and blue never receive a single mention...
It isn't until we reach the last book of the Bible that we have a great
burst of colour - with the rainbow around God's throne. But we must
remember that St. John wrote his Revelation on the colourful Aegean island
of Patmos rather than in the dusty old land of Palestine.
Why is
there such a lack of colour in what is the most resplendent and vibrant
book in the entire world? Well, perhaps the people in Biblical times
were not so colour conscious as we are today. Perhaps they were far
too busy just surviving in order to have much spare time to simply stop
and stare. Maybe the natural beauty of the landscape didn't impinge
all that much for the land itself meant hard work - eking out a living
from a scrubby hillside or a stony field. If colour was noticed at
all it was in precious stones or clothing - the High Priest's breastplate
bedecked with colourful jewels and gem stones, the purple robe given to
Jesus before the crucifixion and Joseph's famous "Amazing Technicolour
Dreamcoat".
Having
been to the Holy Land many times in the 1990s I know that the fresh colours
of the spring are soon burnt away by the fierce relentlessness of the sun.
How fortunate we are in this country to experience the colourful changes
associated with the four seasons. But in Palestine after a short
lived spring there is no rich colourful summer or no golden autumn.
For months on end the landscape retains its uniform, sun-scorched hue.
Perhaps
the main reason why there is so little mention of colour in the Bible is
that the sheer brightness of the light itself scorches and drains the landscape
of its natural colours. Travelling down from Jerusalem to Jericho
through the Judean wilderness is quite an amazing experience. On
the journey you certainly need the rayband sun glasses that I once saw
being worn by one of the Bedouin nomads. The light pervades all.
This brightness, rather than the colours of the spectrum is what is most
noticeable - the brilliant radiance of the light itself and, in contrast,
the deep, dark velvety shadow of night.
So from
Genesis to Revelation the emphasis is placed upon the Light. That
same brilliant dazzling Light was seen by Moses on Mount Sinai and by Isaiah
in the Temple. It was witnessed in Jesus by Peter, James and John
on the Mount of Transfiguration. That same light blinded Saul as
he travelled along the Damascus Road and was to transform his life completely.
The Light of God makes all things new and gives illumination to those who
sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and guides our feet into the
way of peace.
During
Lent we have no flowers in church - the vestments are plain and the church
is lacking in colour. But come Easter Day a great transformation
takes place and the church is full of floral decorations - the dominant
colour of the flowers is yellow and the vestments are white and gold.
I always specially appreciate this annual contrast. But I also love
to light the Paschal Candle - a symbol of the presence of the Risen Lord
with and in His Holy Church. May the light of the Risen Christ illuminate
your lives this Easter and always.
With Paschal Blessings,
Father David