Logos

 

En arche ēn ho Logos

John 1:1

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The rising sun resurrects all of creation with its light. The first to rise is color, a flood of hues baptize a dull world. Each day the world is re-created; out of darkness, light. All of creation moves in concert, in natural rhythms working toward revelation; they too imitate the One. The creation acts according to its purpose that it may serve the Creator, and in doing so, speak of Him; that which creation speaks is the cosmic repetition of one name, Jesus Christ, the Logos.

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The cosmology of St Maximus the Confessor recognizes each created object as capable of reflecting something of Christ. "The many logoi are the one Logos to whom all things are related.." Here, St Maximus uses two terms: Logos (singular) and logoi (plural). Logos is the Word of God, divine reason, Christ Himself. He is made manifest in the logoi, the essential reason given to each created thing, each relating to the Logos in a different way. This is why creation is an abundance of distinct created beings, for the characteristics of each are received by its unique participation in the Logos. The multitude of logoi in creation each reveal an aspect of Christ's goodness and draw together in His Person, revealing the whole of Him. St Maximus describes this as such: This same Logos, whose goodness is revealed and multiplied in all the things that have their origin in him, with the degree of beauty appropriate to each being, recapitulates all things in Himself.

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The explanation of the relationship between the Logos and the logoi is written in creation: consider how sunlight interacts with an object- it shines upon the world from one source and yet it is made distinct in each object uniquely. The deep blue of the ocean, the mingled red-orange of the setting sun, the rainbows made through floating mist- each reflects something of light that is otherwise unseen. The many are made from the one and also reveal the one; so is Christ seen in the truth, beauty and goodness of creation. Centuries after the Confessor wrote, a poet would find how to describe this with words both plain and beautiful: Christ plays in ten thousand places.

(Part 6 of 14 of Mimetic Reality series)