Lord, Shine Through Me
As a child, I was perplexed by these people with bubbles around their heads.
It came as a relief to learn in my 1st or 2nd grade religion classes that those radiant circles were called halos and they signified a person’s light of holiness. On holy cards and in books, I would find those orbs surrounding the head of Jesus, his Blessed Mother, Angels and Saints. For a time, I wondered if it was the artist who decided which folks were bubble-worthy and could I trust in that decision? And what about those people depicted who looked okay, but were totally halo-free? How would I ever recognize holy people in the real world without the aid of visible bubbles?
Over the years I have arrived at the conclusion that you will know them when you see them with the eyes of your heart.
You may not know their names but they look familiar. They walk into a room and your eyes are drawn to them. It’s not about physical beauty or the kind of clothes they are wearing. Those attributes may grab you at first but it’s about a presence that shines forth from them. That’s what holds your heart. An aura of light emanates from them, a glow that no artist’s bubble could justly portray.
This light can go by different names. Call it God’s grace or the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is faith and love, joy and peace. It radiates out of certain people. God’s presence truly shines from them. And their words, actions and interactions with others bear witness to this light.
I recently came across a prayer of Saint John Henry Newman that speaks to this so eloquently:
Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus.
Lord of Light, help us to be your bright beacons especially to those who are living in the darkness of pain, loneliness, fear, sorrow, self-doubt. We have the ability and responsibility to be light to others. Weren’t we created in His luminous image? What might that look like if we each make a conscious effort to amp up our wattage and give off more lumens? To paraphrase Matthew 5:15-16 -- throw off that bushel basket and shine!
I thank God for all He accomplishes through you. May the Light be with you and from you.
