Let your #starshine. Pass the light forward. We are one family.
On Epiphany Sunday, I shared in the sermon a story about stars; about how I learned about these lights in the sky, and about the truth that those lights are always shining - even when we can't see them. And we heard the story of three Kings who followed the brightest and best of the stars. They believed this star fulfilled a prophecy, that the star itself was a promise that God was about to do something good. The star was the sign of God's action in the world, and it led them to the proof of that action, to the brightest light of all. And when they found him, they knelt before him and offered their gifts to Jesus, to the Messiah, the one coming into the world to love us and to save us.
At Christmas, we celebrate the light coming into the world, the promise of God that this light can lead us to joy and to peace among the nations. And at Epiphany, we celebrate the manifestation of this light in Jesus, which is made visible not just to the Kings and those who gathered at the nativity, but visible to us. Through their story, through the witness of Scripture, through the witness of generations of the faithful, we are now able to see this light, too. Epiphany is the celebration of this light shining for the whole world, made visible to all of us. Like the star that first led the Kings to the manger, the light we celebrate at Christmas is a sign of God's love and God's promise to act in this world. And this is where we come into the story: the light continues to need someone to witness it, to tell the story, to pass it forward, to offer proof of God's love.
Each one of you carries a spark of this light within you. Each of you, made in the image of God, and baptized into the way of Jesus, has the ability to share this light, to reflect it, and to make the world around you brighter. Last year, I gave you stars to remind you of this light within you - but this year, I want us to give the stars away, to share the light intentionally. So, I handed out little star packets - asking you to take them with you and to share the light. With some help, I had prepared 250 of these little stars for you to take out into the world, to pass on with love and kindness, and to invite others to let their star shine and continue the pattern. I had less than 10 left by the end of the day on Sunday - which means that some of you plan on going to do a lot of good! And then I started to get requests for more stars.
This idea came from a game that some have played within the family unit - where the youngest gets the star first, is charged with doing something nice for someone else in the family, and then having done so, leaves the star behind. And the person who received the good turn then goes and does the same for someone else. And while this is a great thing to do in the home, we live in a time when we need to broaden our sense of family, our sense of who we honor and serve with kindness and grace. As Christians and as Episcopalians, we believe in the dignity of every human being, that all of us are created in love by the Creator of all. No matter what we look like, where we come from, what name we use for God, or any other difference among us - we are all part of one human family. So now seems like a fitting moment to choose to faithfully share the light of love with all our neighbors, near and far, in big and little ways.
So, as of Friday, I'll have quite a few more to stars share. You can pick up several stars on Sunday, and I'll leave some extras in the Narthex. You should feel free to come in and get some stars - as many as you'd like. Let your #starshine, tag it on social media, and pass the light forward. Take a few more with you on your business trips, vacations, and wherever else you go. This is a small thing, I know. And it doesn't begin to answer the huge divisions or compensate for the real suffering in the world around us. But light is a funny thing - a persistent thing. Even the smallest bit can make an important difference. We should never underestimate the difference a small group of faithful people can make when they choose to intentionally live their faith and try to brighten the world around them. And I will never underestimate the huge difference that can be made by the generosity and kindness of this community at St. Matt's.
Your light, the way that you live your faith in this world, and the way that you share the love is proof of God's action in the world. Just like that brightest star that led the Kings to Jesus so long ago. May the love we share be the witness to our faith, and may it in some way be proof of God's continued action in the world. May we know the light, share the light, and by the way that we live, witness to the fact that the light of Christ shines in the darkness and the darkness can never overcome it. God bless you.
Faithfully,
--Marissa +
#starshine
Tags: Welcome from the Rector