As the days grow darker I'm thankful for the warmth and brightness of light, both spiritually and physically. Last night we read about St. Martin of Tours and took an evening walk with the lanterns the kids had made. They were so beautiful, the warm glow illuminating the darkness and reflecting off happy little faces. We talked of letting the light of Christ shine through us, about loving one another and caring for the poor, as St. Martin taught us by his example, and of seeing Christ in everyone we meet.
"O Joyful Light of the holy glory of the immortal, heavenly, holy blessed Father, O Jesus Christ. Having come to the setting of the sun, having beheld the evening light, we hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God."
(Ancient Christian hymn sung in the evening service of the Orthodox Church.)
"The Light of Christ illumines all!"
(From the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts)
"The early Christian ritual of carrying a lamp into the evening service led to the present-day order of Vespers with its entry and the singing of the ancient hymn, O Jesus Christ, the Joyful Light…, which expresses the Christian teaching of spiritual light that illumines man, of Christ the Source of the grace-bestowing light."
(Quote taken from here.)
"And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it"
(John 1:5)
So beautiful, and I'm loving this series of thankfulness posts. The kids look so sweet.
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful! I was going to say the same thing as Rae: I am really enjoying your posts this month.
ReplyDeleteYour leaf lanterns came out so lovely! I wish my kids were still young enough to want to make and use them.
ReplyDeleteJenny
Thanks for this reminder that in these days of darkness that are a struggle for me and others, we need to look to the True Light!
ReplyDelete