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I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life than the sunflower. For me that's because of the reason behind its name. Not because it looks like the sun but because it follows the sun. During the course of the day, the head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky. A satellite dish for sunshine. Wherever light is, no matter how weak, these flowers will find it. And that's such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life.
- from the movie Calendar Girls
We, too, were meant to look toward the light. To seek it out, no matter how faint. To find it and to reflect it in our thoughts and in our actions. To be a light in this world, as Jesus said that we are.
Yet, it can be very hard to find the light when the world around us seems dark. The tragedy of the Boston Marathon last week affected all of us. Two young men, lost in the darkness of hate, anger, and confusion created a nightmare for many others. One young man lost both his legs in the bombing and more than 200 others were injured.
Jesus also knew how hard it was to live in challenging times. And though he was aware of all the harshness in the world, he knew that despite this, he must be the light in the darkness. In Luke 11: 34 we read: The light of the body is the eye: therefore when your eye is single, your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, (or turned away from the light) your body also is full of darkness.
There's a play on words in this commentary....the "eye" not only refers to our vision -our way of seeing ourselves and the world -but it also refers to our "I" - our identity. When you and I know our identity to be as God's expressions, our vision is larger and more expansive and our whole lives are lightened by our consciousness of this.
But when we do not know ourselves -when we are in the dark about our identity as children of Light – our vision is limited by our ego and its judgments, anger, separateness. We do not have the light of our larger Christ intelligence and love and we make choices that are dark.
How will the darkness in this world become light? Only as you and I bring the light of our consciousness to the darkness. Here are 4 ways that we can practice being "single-eyed":
1- Turn your mind and your thoughts to the light; that which is good and lovely and true and happy.
2- Make the decision to turn your back on your personal story and the hurts you suffered in the past. Keeping only the love, turn your face to the light of new possibilities for good in your life.
3- Set your intention that your actions reflect the light of kindness and compassion to those around you.
4- Join with us in the following prayer: May all beings be free from suffering. May all beings know the light of Christ Love.
May you and your dear ones be filled and blessed with Light in all ways!
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