No Wandering in the Dark

"No follower of mine wanders in the dark;
s/he shall have the light of life."
-John 8:12

What wonderful assurance!
Let us choose to walk in the light and not the darkness.
The invitation is set before us every day -
we need only accept, say yes, and
"do whatever he tells you"!

Stop. Breathe. Listen. See. Follow.

Listen to that still, small voice in your heart.
See before you the path of life and light
and make the decision to cease your wandering in the dark,
choosing instead to walk in the light on the illumined path.

"O Lord, in your light we see light itself."

Amen!

Blessings of light and life!

~Cindy

QUOTES ON LIGHT

People are like stained glass windows:

They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,

but when the darkness sets in

their true beauty is revealed

only if there is a light within.

-Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Spiritual Armor

"It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep. The night is far spent; the day draws near. Let us cast off deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us live honorably as in daylight." (Romans 13:11b, 12-13a)

Peace to you & every blessing,
~Cindy

Candlemas

Today the Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. This special day is also known as Candlemas. This morning's Second Reading from the Office of Readings offers many references to light and great invitation for us to be light-bearers in the world, carrying the light of Christ within ourselves and sharing it with others. This reading is from a sermon by Saint Sophronius, a bishop of the 7th Century and is considered one of the Early Church Fathers.

I offer the text of this beautiful reading here, followed by a video I found on youtube.com from http://www.catholicradiodramas.com/, which offers the spoken text accompanied by classic artwork.

Let us receive the light whose brilliance is eternal

In honour of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.

Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendour of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.

The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.

The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.

The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendour, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendour.

Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which he prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.

By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as he came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally received him into our arms, we are called the new Israel. Never shall we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in his honour.

View video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUJTunbv7w0

"It is better to LIGHT ONE CANDLE than to curse the darkness."

May you be a blessing - and be blessed - this Candlemas,
~Cindy

Light From Light

"...Light from Light, true God from true God....

-Nicene Creed

Light in a Darkened Room

"It doesn't matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn't matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years - we turn on the light and it is illuminated. Once we control our capacity for love and happiness, the light has been turned on."

-Susan Salzberg

MLK: Another LIGHT in the World

"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness."

"Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it."

"Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary."

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A true light in the world - a light snuffed out too early, and yet a light that lives on and shines brighter and brighter with the passing of time.

~Cindy
on the national observance of Martin Luther King Day, 2010

Bathed In Light

Yesterday, the Sunday after Epiphany, the Church celebrated the Baptism of the Lord by his cousin John, the Baptist (Luke 3:15-16, 21-11). One of the things that I find amazing in this scripture account is that we see the holy blessed Trinity all together in one scene! Jesus is being baptized, the Holy Spirit decended upon him in the form of a dove, and the Father spoke, proclaiming that Jesus is his son and telling all to listen to him. Wow! Can you imagine being there and witnessing this powerful scene?!!

I have read two pieces that really speak to me in reflecting on this significant event in Jesus' life that I want to share with you today. The first is ancient, the second is very contemporary.

The Second Reading in the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours offers a beautiful light-filled reflection by Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.

Christ is bathed in light; let us also be bathed in light. Christ is baptized; let us go down with him, and rise with him.... Today let us do honor to Christ's baptism and celebrate this feast in holiness. Be cleansed entirely and continue to be cleansed. Nothing gives such pleasure to God as the conversion and salvation of [all people], for whom his every word and every revelation exist. He wants you to become a living force for all [human]kind, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the great light, bathed in the glory of him who is the light of heaven. You are to enjoy more and more the pure and dazzling light of the Trinity, as now you have received -- though not in it fullness -- a ray of its splendor, proceeding from the one God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

Reflecting, with John, on the question of why would Jesus need to be baptized, one of the most satisfying reasons I've ever read or heard came to me from the meditation for today's gospel text in The Word Among Us . "When he was baptized by John in the Jordan, Jesus showed how deeply he wanted to be joined with all of us, sinners though we are. As St. Paul explained, Jesus became sin for us so that in him we might become "the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Being baptized in water, he took on our sin and carried it with him until the day of his death on the cross...."

This writer offers us a powerful invitation, as well:

...Scripture tells us that Jesus wants to baptize all of us "with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Luke 3:16). He wants to share the fruit of his baptism with us by immersing us in his Holy Spirit -- just as he baptized the first apostles on Pentecost.

Today's feast is an invitation for us to ask: Do I know the freedom from sin that Jesus' baptism won for me? It's also an invitation to ask: How well do I know the Holy Spirit? After all, Jesus died for us so that we could receive his Spirit and be filled with his life and love. Just as the Spirit came upon him when he was baptized, this same Spirit wants to come upon us and empower us to live a godly life.

"Thank you, Jesus, for being baptized for me. now come, Lord, and fill me with your Spirit!"

Let us open our hearts, pray, trust, and put ourselves in great company! Let us become one of the "radiant lights" in the world!

Have a blessed, light-filled, and holy week!

~Cindy

LIGHT and the Holy Name of Jesus

I just wrote about the celebration of the Holy Name of Jesus in my Franciscan Prayer blog. It is commemorated on January 3rd on the liturgical calendar and in the Catholic Church it is the special intention for the entire month of January.

I don't want to re-do what I've just written for that blog, however, in light of the focus of this one, I couldn't help but share the same reflection from Saint Bernadine of Siena. I'm reprinting it here with a different emphasis, as will be obvious. From On the Eternal Gospel:

This is the most holy name so long desired by the patriarchs of old. They waited for it with much anxiety. The delay in its coming caused them to languish. They called out for it with many a sigh; they prayed for it with many tears. When the moment of grace arrived it was given with mercy. Put aside, then, I beg you, any name implying political power; let there be no mention of vengeance, no mention of justice. Give us the name of mercy. Let the name of Jesus resound in my ears because then indeed is your voice sweet and your contenance lovely.

The name of Jesus that makes us children of God is a firm foundation of faith. The faith of the Catholic religion is based upon a knowledge and recognition of Jesus Christ who is the light of the soul, the gateway to life, the foundation of eternal salvation. Whoever lacks this knowledge and recognition, or has abandoned it, is like a man who walks through darkness of night without a light and like a person who rushes headlong through dangers with his eyes shut. However brilliant such a person's mind may be, he follows a blind leader when he follows his own understanding to grasp the secrets of heaven. He attempts to build a house without laying a foundation, he wants to enter through the roof because he left out a door. Jesus, then, is the foundation, light and door. It is he who will show himself as the way to those who go astray. He has shown to all the light of faith through which God can be sought while yet unknown, believed when the search is ended, and found when believed. This foundation supports the Church built on the name of Jesus.

The name of Jesus brings luster to those who proclaim it because he causes men to preach it and enlightens men to heed it. To what do you attribute such sudden and brilliant light of faith in the world if not to the preaching of Jesus? Has not God called us into his marvelous light through the brilliance and sweetness of this name? To those who were enlightened and who in this light were beholding the light, the Apostle could say: "You once were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light."

Glorious name, gracious name, name of love and of power! Through you sins are forgiven, through you enemies are vanquished, through you the sick are freed from their illness, through you those suffering in trials are made strong and cheerful. You bring honor to those who believe, you teach those who preach, you give strength to the toiler, you sustain the weary. Our love for you is ardent and glowing, our prayers are heard; the souls of those who contemplate you are filled to overflowing, and all the blessed in heaven are filled with your glory. Sweet Jesus, grant that with them we too may reign through this your most holy name.
(Proper of Offices of Franciscan Saints and Blessed in the Liturgy of the Hours, Volume I, Advent and Christmas Season, published by the English-Speaking Conference of the Order of Friars Minor, 1975)

Amen!

Again, I Wish you a blessed and Happy New Year!

Let us spend it walking in the Light and let us remember that...

"It is better to LIGHT ONE CANDLE than to curse the darkness."

Peace & blessing,

~Cindy