Dear friends in Christ,
The collect for this coming Sunday includes a petition that God would “Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory.” I love the poetry of this phrase, packed with richness and vivid imagery.
Indeed, we do well to bask in the glow of the Word and Sacraments, especially in this time of tumult and division. And I love the idea that the people who follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior might shine with the radiance of his glory. It is, after all, not our glory that brightens the world but rather the glory of Jesus Christ shining in us.
It’s so easy to get swept into endless news cycles of despair. Social media can ratchet up our anxiety and worry. And endless bombardment with ads might lead us to think about all the material goods we lack, rather than being grateful for what we have. What’s a person to do? How can we survive the gloom of this world?
Remember that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. No politician or leader or enemy or friend or anyone can change that. The illustration here is from an altar canopy painted about 900 years ago. I saw this image in Spain a couple of weeks ago, and I was struck by how timeless and how necessary is the reminder that Jesus Christ is the Light of the World. In Latin, this image proclaims, “Ego sum lux mundi.” “I am the Light of the world.” It’s a useful reminder, any day in any language.
It’s all right there in Sunday’s collect. Let us pray:
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
In the Light of Christ,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
More from our ministry:
In case you missed it: Q&A with Furman Buchanan
Lent calendars and bracket posters are on sale now!
Pocket-sized prayer for daily life: The Booklet of Common Prayer