Seeing and Hearing Through the Darkness

Sitting in the dark in the glow of our Christmas tree and the beautiful multicolored lights, I realized how much more beautiful it is in the dark, when all the small little lights pierced the darkness and together create such a picture of beauty. It gives me great comfort. I think of the great star on the night of Christ’s birth that pierced the darkness and gave cause to shepherds to rejoice that something wonderful and great had occurred. Sometimes, in the darkness of the season, (both figurative and literal) I have to remind myself to appreciate how the lights we share with each other can penetrate the darkness to see that something great and wonderful has occurred.

Jesus told a story about hiding one’s light beneath a bushel basket. He said we were the light of the world, like a city on a mountain that can not be hidden. He said that no one would light a lamp and hide it under a bushel basket, and challenged us to let our light shine before others, so that they may see how to glorify the father. Without the light each of us brings, the world stays in darkness and the darkness wins. The purpose of the season is to realize and embrace the power of the light Jesus brought into the world. His light shows up in many beautiful and colorful ways. He also admonishes any who try to snuff out that light.

This is the important message of the season. Light can defeat the darkness, and of all the ways the gospel teaches us how to be a resplendent light in the world, it says nothing about judging, defaming, and hating what someone else’s light looks like, even if it different. Jesus explains what he means in the parable of a man who sows seeds on different soils and what he means by it. The sower is the vehicle for distributing his words, the soils reflect the kind of person who receives it.

5 Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?

The sower sows the word.

These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them.

And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.

But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word,

but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.

But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?

For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.

Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the dark trying to figure out what my light is and I’ve begun to understand that my job is to simply become the best soil for the word and let go of what it is supposed to look like and let it shine, the rest will follow. I know my light alone is dependent on others who share their light to the world with me. All the metaphors Jesus uses about nurturing and bearing good fruit and being a shining light are the singular responsibility of the individual.My success is never dependent on anthers depletion. Those who try to crush or put out anyone’s’ light are truly the enemy. Fruit is fruit, and light is light.Our only job is to share what we have sown and grown and like a light shine it to the world. The unity of many small lights can defeat the darkness.

Prayers for you on my Birthday

Every year, at least for the past few, I take advantage of the anniversary of my birth and offer prayers as my gift to all the other travelers on this planet, to bolster the body of humanity as it moves forward on the evolutionary road forward. The subtle difference this year, is that my prayers are not meant for everyone. This year my prayers are focused on, and dedicated to, those “children of the light” and soldiers of Christ, (for those who embrace him) for it is all of you who will save this world and keep us evolving into the future. The rest, while I continue to pray for you in a general way all year…on my special day, with my special powers, I am reserving the right to focus on those who are blessed to see and hear, devoid of illusion, fear and the need to scapegoat. And as for those of you who seem unable or unwilling to look beyond the lies, fears, vitriol and have weaponized religion to maintain a culture that is anything but the representation of the body of Christ…you made your bed, and you can lie in the false comfort that you are on the right path. As scripture tells us, only good trees produce good fruit, the truth will set us free, and it is how you treat the least among us that determines your eternal future, and my hope is that you figure it out eventually.

I pray for you to honor all the talents you’ve been given and walk down the path that fulfills your greatest purpose in life, and to keep walking despite the fear that may well up your throat, despite any overwhelming feelings of inadequacy that you may face or despite the desire to give into temptation and run in the opposite direction when it feels perilous ahead. I pray that you always have the knowledge that with God and the powers of the universe even the seemingly impossible truly is possible, and that when God is with you nothing can defeat you and that this knowledge brings you the necessary courage and fortitude to forge ahead.

The downfall of most traditional systems is that they try to insulate their body of believers from the rest of the world. Inclusion to a group that is predicated by certain beliefs and axioms will not keep purity in their body of believers. Why? because we are all of the same fabric. A true child of the light, soldier of Christ is motivated by the premise that every person is of consequence, to judge one group as dispensable runs contrary to the beauty and diversity of God’s creation. I pray that you see and hear that as long as there is breath and life there is hope for all, and as shepherds for the future, that you guard and protect the flock that surrounds you.

Once you start living in higher definition, it may become easy to judge others who live with less clarity as stupid, and that they have nothing to offer you on your journey forward. I pray you realize that everyone and everything that crosses your path is an essential element for sharing the light of truth. You will be known and appreciated by how you love, not how much you know. I pray that each moment is a gift that you can be grateful for, even those dark moments because they create opportunities to illuminate the stark contrast between light and darkness. Gratitude builds hope, and hope guides us forward.

It is often a lonely experience to see, hear and understand a truth that others do not. In many ways it is like seeing a color, or an added sense that others do not share. I pray you find each other to add support and community to your journey. While self containment is important to the development of your own unique gift, it is not necessary to be isolated to nurture it. All of us need sustenance, and communities are like oxygen to the soul.

I pray that you take time along this journey to celebrate the moments that truth and justice bring. Celebration is as much a part of evolving as is the hard work of building. I pray you have many moments where success and the fruits of your labor shine for all the world to see and bring healing, hope and encouragement to others who are not as far along on the journey as you are.

And finally, I pray that you remain constantly vigilant as new truths unfold. There is a reason that children of the light, soldiers of Christ are given only as much as we can handle at any given time (the Old Testament tells us that prophets would die if they gazed upon the Lord directly…its just too much). I pray you continue to see and hear the many dimensions of truth as they unfold and are unveiled to you and that you can revel in its ever broadening beauty and power and it gives you strength