By Rev. Aidan Moon

A Secondary Light

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link. 

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:1 English Standard Version

Given my last name, I’ve tended to think a bit about the moon. As a family, we spent quite a bit of time growing up looking at the moon. Each member of our family even had their own phase of the moon.

But what has always stuck with me since learning very basic astronomy is that the moon produces no light of its own. It is really just a big rock which happens to reflect light quite well. Light has an original source. Yet, other things can reflect that light back to us. They don’t “own” it, but they show it.

Today is traditionally commemorated as “All Saints’ Day.” Often this is an opportunity to remember those who have died in faith. But when thinking of what Scripture calls “saints” – God’s holy ones –  the image of secondary lights is illuminating (no pun intended). This image both deepens my respect for those who have gone before, and helps me see them realistically, as human beings living human lives. It gives me the freedom to celebrate that light which is shown in the lives of the saints (both those I know and those in the past who I only read about). But I can do this knowing the original source of the light, that same light I share, as I have put on Christ in baptism and grow into his light. Learning how to imitate fellow saints can be an opportunity to learn to imitate Christ, always in light of HIS good work. His salvation. His life and light.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado