S(o)uper Sunday

Adjusting the light

From this week's Gospel:

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Yes, we are the light.

But notice the next verse - a light is lit and then placed, it doesn't ignite itself or select its location. We are "the light" because we've been lit up and placed in particular settings. It's not our own doing.

Our good works are not the light; they are illuminated by the light of God ignited within us. When our light is lit up and set in the right place, our works become visible as God's own.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. II Corinthians 4:3-6

Two burials

Two burials this week. One had 5 people at a graveside; the other had a standing-room-only church. Both were remarkably the same: love, grief, a serene if sober hope in the words of faith from the Book of Common Prayer, and even some laughter in the tears of thankful remembrances of lives perceived as gifts from God. Only some externals differed; both services were the same.

The rough edge of Christian blogging

"Accordingly the spiritual director should be discerning in his silence and profitable in his speech, otherwise he might say something that should have been suppressed or suppress something that should have been said. For just as reckless speaking leads someone into error, so indiscreet silence leaves in error those who might have been instructed. For often, reckless directors, who fear to lose human favor, are afraid to speak freely about what is right. And, according to the voice of the Truth, they fail to attend to the care of their flock as shepherds and instead act as mercenaries. This is because they flee and hide themselves in silence whenever a wolf approaches. Thus, the Lord scolds them through the prophet, saying: 'Dumb dogs, who cannot bark' (Isaiah 56:10). Again he complains, saying: 'You have not gone up against the enemy nor have you built a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord' (Ezekiel 13:5). Indeed, to 'go up against the enemy' is to oppose worldly powers in the defense of the flock. And to 'stand in battle on the day of the Lord' is to resist, out of love of justice, evil persons who oppose us. For if a shepherd fears to say what is right, what else is it but to turn his back in silence? But certainly, if he puts himself before the flock [so as to protect them], he 'builds a wall for the house of Israel' against its enemies." Gregory the Great, The Book of Pastoral Rule, II.4

Winter Sundown

I seldom get home in time to catch any of the setting sun lighting up the snow, and even these pics are a few minutes too late to do justice.