“Your Right to Light” by The Rev. Kaji Douša

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.”  And as I think about light, I think about matches. And matches are kind of fickle, right? They don’t always work, and sometimes, the striking surface can get a little worn down. I worry about whether or not your striking surface has gotten worn down. Because light is really important to protect, and the things that ignite us are really important to be deliberate about. Because sometimes, we can get lit up about things that are not of God. Sometimes, things can take all of our energy so that we become depleted. On top of that, there will be forces that will try to burn out our light. They will tell us that we’re not supposed to have light. They’ll try to tell us that we should shine in the way they want us to instead of the way God wants us to. They will tell us that we don’t have any right to light. Know that Jesus said, “You are the light of the world,” which means that you are light when you shine God’s brightness within you. And nothing can ever take away your access to that. But you need to kindle your light. And when you can’t, remember this: light is stronger when it joins the other kindled light, and when we join with other people, we shine so much brighter. So, find people who will shine with you. Find the light of Christ in others, because, when we join our forces together, we are an inferno that will change this world. Amen.