The Light...

Imagine being responsible for lighting this massive chandelier of candles - one hanging from the ceiling of the sanctuary of one of the Spanish mission churches in central Texas hundreds of years ago.  How would one do that?  Somehow, I don't see lowering that enormous iron frame down, and it would take an exceptionally long taper to reach those heights.  I'm sure someone out there has the answer to my question, but as a lay person looking at the situation with a curious mind, it presents as a "How in the world could I ever do that on my own?" sort of conundrum.

During Advent, those of us who are Christians are waiting to celebrate again the coming of the Light - the birth of the Savior who was to lead us, to shepherd us, to be an example of all he was trying to teach.  And we know that, ultimately, that torch is passed along to each of us - to carry the Light out into the world and to be examples of what Christianity should "look" like.

And again, I think we are sometimes struck by that question of "How in the world could I ever do that on my own?" The comfort is that we really don't have to do it on our own.  Parts of it, yes.  But the example is there to follow, it is documented, and all we have to do is give our hearts over to following it. And our Lord is ever-present.  Sounds so simple, doesn't it?