“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…” Sounds easy, doesn’t it?! When you hear that song for the first time, it IS easy to let your light shine. Likely, you were between the ages of three and five! All of the grown-ups in the room understand how difficult it is to let God’s light shine within us each day. Life is full of distractions that cause us to forget what it is we are hoping to do while we are alive. How can we let God’s light shine brightly from within us? Does it just happen, or can we make sure it happens? Do you know many luminaries? Are you one? Are you aspiring to become one? As Luis reminds us, the mortality rate is 100%. If there is something important that needs to get done, we should GET ON WITH IT. Our family has the marvelous luck to know and love Suzanne McGee. She taught our four kids piano, and without one single exception, whether they were six or 18 years old, they always returned home from her house far happier than when they left. Have you seen a genuinely happy, joyful and light 14 year old ??!! It’s a miracle! And it was a miracle, a gift, and I am eternally grateful for all of those moments our kids spent with Suzanne. She brought God’s love, light and joy into our home and hearts.
At Suzanne’s funeral a year ago, her husband shared two things with us that gave me great pause and clarity. First, he echoed Luis by saying that we would all, as Suzanne had done, die one day. He encouraged us to “…get on with living in God’s light…” each and every day. Then he told us that Suzanne was so thankful to God for loving her so deeply, that she always felt like the very least she could do to demonstrate her gratitude to Him was to show her love to everyone she knew. Suzanne lived in God’s light and shared that love and joyfulness with everyone in her life. She made a thoughtful and sure decision to do that. She was devoted to it. It was deliberate. And it was an act of LOVE and GRATITUDE. Sounds easy, doesn’t it?! I give thanks on this day and all days to Suzanne and Luis, two torch-bearers, illuminaries, who have shown me the love and grace that lie in the path of God’s great light.
Carrie Garland
Appointed readings for today: 2 Kings 5:1-15b, Psalm 42:1-7, Luke 4:23-30
