Pastor’s Email Devotion The Week of Epiphany 2 January19, 2014 SCRIPTURE -- The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:5, NRSV) PROMPT -- A Light Left On, by May Sarton In the evening we came back Into our yellow room, For a moment taken aback To find the light left on, Falling on silent flowers, Table, book, empty chair While we had gone elsewhere, Had been away for hours. When we came home together We found the inside weather. All of our love unended The quiet light demanded, And we gave, in a look At yellow walls and open book. The deepest world we share and do not talk about But have to have, was there, And by that light found out. REFLECTION -- I found myself thinking often about light this weekend. I thought about my grandson who we saw yesterday, who appears to have a bit of an obsession with electric lights of all kinds. I thought about our confession at worship today that began with the opening invitation, “Let us come into the light of Christ, confessing our need for God’s mercy.” I think about the season of Epiphany a lot in January, of course, and it is the season of light. Although it is not yet visible to me, I am aware that the days are getting longer and light is returning to the world. I thought about light as I prepared my children’s sermon this week on the theme of light. We had a number of light-themed musical pieces this morning, not least of which our young ladies ensemble singing This Little Light of Mine. I even replaced a couple of light bulbs in the window candles in our home. All of these … the most obvious of experiences with light and replicated across the globe millions of times. Multiplicity does not diminish their power, yet neither does it make them distinct. I also found myself reflecting on this poem that I copied last year from my daily e-newsletter from The Writer’s Almanac. I was wandering around my poetry file in preparation for a wedding homily, and this caught my eye, given the prevalence of light-images in my head. I found it offering a more subtle and graceful tribute to the illuminating power of light. I found myself thinking of God’s Spirit that both judges and forgives - a Spirit that both finds me lacking and that deems me loveable all the same. I found my thoughts turning toward the places in my soul that I think I can keep hidden from God, and then when standing on the threshold of their disclosure, recognizing the gift of being found out by God’s omniscient gaze. As you pray and meditate this week, do you have the courage to visit those rooms deep in your soul that demand the most costly measure of your love, which in giving is blessed by the knowledge that the light of God has been shining quietly upon it all along. I pray you might hazard it. PRAYER -- Searching God, you are always with me, even when I am not able to feel you in my heart. You love me always, you surround me with your protecting love, even when I occasionally forget you. You listen to my problems, and if I am sincere and receptive, you give me solutions. You hear my prayers and answer those which are in the best interest of everyone in my life including, but not limited to, me. You are the light and the thoughts in my mind, You are the sight in my eyes, you are the life in my body, you are the feelings I feel in my heart. You are always at work in my life for my greater good, although I may not always believe this; let my faith in you grow constantly. Amen. ~~Based on a prayer by Paul Mastromarino
Posted on: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 04:17:25 +0000
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