Good morning…
Monday morning’s drizzle drenched our outdoor furniture, so our afternoon class was drawn inside. Our intimate circle of women savored a life-giving conversation, reading these words aloud from page 43 of Simple Faith by Margaret Silf.
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Turning Contemplation into Action
I have a little oil lamp that a friend gave me, and it’s a constant reminder to me that a life of faith involves both contemplation and action.
The oil lamp has a wick, and the wick has two ends. If there is to be light, then one end of the wick has to remain submerged in the oil, and the other end has to extend into the world. Only then is it possible for a flame to bring both warmth and light.
A person of faith is one who is called to bring a bit more light and warmth to the world. To do this, we must remain rooted in a life of prayer and reflection, finding God in the ordinary things around us and immersing ourselves from time to time in the deep silence of our hearts, where God is indwelling. But it is also necessary to be “out there,” burning with love and compassion, justice and peace, in a world that longs for light in the darkness and new ways forward through the maze of contemporary life. If either of these is lacking, then our lives will not be channels of God’s warmth and light.
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Our life of faith involves both contemplation and action. As we remain submerged in a life of prayer and reflection, we soak in the indwelling Spirit. Then, ignited from within, we extend ourselves “out there,” illuminating new ways forward through the maze of contemporary life. We burn with love and compassion, justice and peace, becoming open channels for God’s warm glowing light.
Both submerged and extended, our true identity is set ablaze. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15, NLT).
We are like a little oil lamp.
…Sue…
