Been thinking about Light

Today is Epiphany ... a celebration of the Light of Christ made know to the Gentiles, the Magi from the East ... most likely Persia. On Christmas Eve I commented that I could smell the Light. The examples I gave were almost all an aspect of worship or an act of worship in praise and thanksgiving to God. Yes, in that sense we smell the Light of Christ in us and among us.

But, what about when we step outside the doors of our church?
How do we sense the Light of Christ in the world around us?

During Epiphany, the season of the Light of God revealed among us, I want to challenge myself (and maybe you too) to sense and find the Light of Christ
in the hungry,
 

the destitute,

More than 550,000 Americans are homeless on any given night.

the poor and needy,

Over 146 million people in the United States are poor or low income.

and the forgotten.


It's easy to sense the Light of Christ in the beauty of worship. But, this Epiphany season, may He open our eyes to see His Light in unexpected places ... in places and in people where He waits for us to share a cup of water ... or coffee, to offer a word of comfort or encouragement, to give a coat because we have two. The Light is in those places ... and people ... too. What Light do we miss when we pass them by?

Perhaps, as we practice these things we will experience a renewed sense God's Unfathomable Light (thank you Janet George!) and breathe in its scent of grace ... as John said in his gospel "grace upon grace" ... and peace and goodness and kindness. What blessings await us as we take in the scent of Christ's Light among us. Yes, what blessings. Thanks be to God.

Merry Christmas!

St. James' Episcopal Church, Lake George  New York

This is the interior of St. James' ready for our Christmas Eve celebration. I stood for a long time at the crossing taking in the beauty and wonder of the place and its promise for our evening together. It brought to memory a comment made to me by a little girl who had been taken by the wonder of worship. She said, "I can smell the Light." That is exactly right. On Christmas Eve, I could smell the Light. Evergreen. Frankincense. Myrrh. Tulips. ... I wish I could say snow, but it was an uncommon 52 degrees! Regardless, I could smell the Light. There was something in it ... something it brought to the space ... something you could breathe in and know it was from the light itself. Jesus is come ... God with us.

I don't know how it works that God became a human baby. Even more, I don't know how it works that God came and made His home among us, that He lives in us. Immanuel - God's presence with us and in us and among us and around us ... in Jesus. Maybe the only way to know the answer is to stop and stand and look and listen and ask Him to show you ... to breathe in the scent of His Light. 

The scent of His Light is in the beauty of worship. It's in the wonder of prayer. It's in the voices lifted in praise. It's in sharing the bread and drinking from the cup. It's in the hearing of ancient Scriptures ... come to fulfillment. It's in the passing of peace ... the Peace of the Lord be with you. ... Peace on earth, God's goodness to all people.

When I walked outside after our Christmas Eve services, although all the lights inside the church were turned off ... I could still smell the Light. The sky was filled with stars and an almost full moon. Astonishing.

May the Light of Christ be with you this Christmas!