When I first embraced my faith twenty six years ago, I was on fire! I am pretty sure my husband thought I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had. I was determined that everyone I knew and loved would go to Heaven and that I was personally going to get them there. The only problem was the fire in me was an all-consuming wildfire that burned up everything closest to me. I pushed too hard and achieved the opposite of the desired effect.
As I watched my family and friends fleeing for the hills to avoid that “crazy religious lady”, I became afraid and unsure. The very people I cared most about and wanted to embrace and carry to God were instead charred and covered with ashes. Everything Catholic became a plague for them to avoid. I worried constantly about what my family and friends thought of anything I said or did and that it would send them fleeing past the hills, deeper into the forest and lost forever. Consequently, I tapered down my flame and did my own hiding under a bushel basket. Have you ever experienced this?
“You are the light of the world…set on a lampstand… your light must shine before others…”
Scripture says to “shine,” not to become an all-consuming wildfire that turns everything around it to ash. A lamp on a stand is stable. Still. Flickering, but still. Not chasing or consuming, but simply there, inviting others in. This is what I want. Simply to be. To be still and stable in my faith. To show others what I am in the love of Jesus. I am required only to be myself displaying the light of Christ to others. They must decide for themselves if they will turn toward this light or turn away from it.
“…that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Rekindling my flame to shine rather than consume, I made the decision to no longer chase people down. Practicing virtues, especially patience and humility, have helped train me to detach from others’ opinions and their response to me. I now focus on seeking to please Jesus alone and ensuring my light is real. Authentic. Vulnerable. I pray that through my deeds this light will radiate for others to see the glory of God. And not only to see the light, but become attracted to Him.
I invite you to examine your light today. Do you shine an inviting light of joy? Or is it dim and depressing? Or are you like me in my early days, a scary wildfire? Is your light hidden under a bushel basket? What virtue can help you be the light on the lampstand attracting others to God?
Cuando abracé mi fe por primera vez hace veintiséis años, ¡estaba super ferviente! Estoy segura de que mi esposo pensó que me había vuelto loca. Quizás sí. Estaba decidida a que todos mis conocidos y seres queridos fueran al Cielo y que yo, personalmente, los llevaría allí. El único problema era que el fuego que ardía en mí era un incendio que consumía todo en su camino. Presioné demasiado y logré el efecto contrario al deseado.
Mientras veía a mi familia y amigos huyendo despavoridos para evitar a esa “loca religiosa”, me sentí asustada e insegura. Las mismas personas que más me importaban y a quienes quería abrazar y llevar a Dios, en cambio, quedaron carbonizadas y cubiertas de ceniza. Todo lo católico se convirtió en una plaga que debían evitar. Me preocupaba constantemente lo que mi familia y amigos pensaran de cualquier cosa que dijera o hiciera, y que eso los hiciera huir aún más lejos, adentrándose en el bosque y perdiéndose para siempre. En consecuencia, apagué mi llama y me escondí bajo una canasta. ¿Alguna vez te ha pasado algo semejante?
“Ustedes son la luz del mundo… se pone sobre un candelero… brille la luz de ustedes ante los hombres…”
La Escritura dice que debemos “brillar”, no convertirnos en un incendio que consume todo a su alrededor. Una lámpara sobre un candelero es estable. Quieta. Parpadeante, pero quieta. No persigue ni consume, sino que simplemente está allí, invitando a los demás. Esto es lo que quiero. Simplemente ser. Ser firme y estable en mi fe. Mostrar a los demás quién soy en el amor de Jesús. Sólo debo ser yo misma, mostrando la luz de Cristo a los demás. Ellos deben decidir por sí mismos si se acercarán a esta luz o se alejarán de ella.
“…para que viendo las buenas obras que ustedes hacen, den gloria a su Padre, que está en los cielos.”
Reavivando mi llama para brillar en lugar de consumir, tomé la decisión de dejar de perseguir a la gente. Practicar las virtudes, especialmente la paciencia y la humildad, me ha ayudado a desapegarme de las opiniones de los demás y de su reacción hacia mí. Ahora me concentro en agradar solo a Jesús y en asegurarme de que mi luz sea real. Auténtica. Vulnerable. Oro para que, a través de mis acciones, esta luz irradie para que otros vean la gloria de Dios. Y no solo para que vean la luz, sino para que se sientan atraídos por Él.
Te invito a examinar tu luz hoy. ¿Irradias una luz de alegría que invita a los demás? ¿O es tenue y deprimente? ¿O eres como yo en mis primeros tiempos, una fuerza arrolladora e incontrolable? ¿Está tu luz escondida bajo una canasta? ¿Qué virtud puede ayudarte a ser la luz que brille sobre un candelero, atrayendo a otros hacia Dios?
Margaret Gartlgruber longs to help women trade guilt for grace and know: You are enough! God delights not in your accomplishments but in YOU simply being you! Mom, wife, author, blogger, speaker, lay RC member, Margaret has published chapters in books: Cloud of Witnesses – St. Monica, and Crowned with Grace – Our Lady of Fatima. Read her blog: https://ruledbybananas.com/ and get free 15 Simple Morning Prayers.
Feature Image Credit: Rafael Pires, pexels.com/photo/red-lantern-lamp-turned-on-943150/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
Daily Reading
Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading I 1 Kings 17:7-16 The brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry,because no rain had fallen in the land.So the LORD said to Elijah:“Move on to Zarephath of…
Saint of the Day
Saint Ephrem
Saint Ephrem the Syrian, a deacon and doctor of the Church, is best known for his prolific hymn-writing and defense of orthodox trinitarianism against the Arians. His many hymns have