Light, oil, and fire

time to gather it in

This week a clip of a Planet Earth video came through my Instagram reels. I’d seen it before, and maybe you have too: time lapse photography of small plants growing, climbing and making their way from the dark forest floor all the way up to the canopy to receive the sunshine they need. But this time as I watched it, something about the introductory narration made me stop in my tracks.

The video goes on to show tiny tendrils of plants seeking out light, hooking claws or sticky pads to gain traction on the surrounding bark, using other plants as scaffolding, flailing about in the air seeking an anchor point, coiling on itself as leverage to pull itself farther up. These determined, resourceful, creative plants somehow know that the light is their source, and they grow toward it with every tool they have.

They say that nature makes a way. Grass coming up through sidewalks, volcanic ash providing a rich environment for new things to grow, flowers turning their faces toward the sun, trees growing up through benches, cars, or even the metal interior of a stop sign. There is something in every element of creation that keeps us moving forward, stretching, and looking for light, and we are no different.

In these dark days, it seems to me that it is on we who profess a Christian faith, apart from any church or faith structure, to be light-seekers and light-growers and ultimately, to become light for others.

In the Book of Matthew, we hear the Parable of the Ten Virgins:

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom^. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

And friend, as I look around at this world that feels so dark, and as I pray and meditate on it - I guess I’m saying that if light is what we say we want, I believe this is a good time for each one of us to go out and get oil for our lamps. It’s no longer sufficient for a professed Catholic Christian to lean on the teachings of a favorite pastor or priest or teacher. No longer enough to sit pleasantly in a pew week after week. We want to know Him and be known by Him. That’s the goal. And no one, not even the most well-meaning teacher or family member or loved one, can through their own prayer or study, fill your lamp with that kind of oil. Only you can do that.

The good news is that, just as each one of those resourceful plants make their way all the way up to the canopy in their search for life-giving light, each one of us can do the same. In a practice of daily scripture reading, prayer, journaling, or contemplation,¹ we can go individually to the Source and receive oil, light, fuel, everything we need from a God who pours out to everyone who seeks.

“For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

The effort and time that it takes to seek out His light is our offering, and I believe God will repay us with abundance. That’s who He is, after all.

Benjamin William Hastings in his song, “Cathedrals of the Nelder Grove,” lays out the most beautiful metaphor for growth in fire. Low or moderate intensity fire can harm or destroy a tree, but only high heat will result in exponential growth for a forest. The same is true for some varieties of pinecones, opening only in high heat fire, resulting in the abounding growth of new pines. And the same is true, of course, of us. Much as we don’t want them, times of high heat or struggle are what bring out the growth in us.

There’s a story from the Desert Fathers in which an Abbot went to see his teacher. He had kept his fast, done his devotionals, and kept the rule of the order as best he could, but found that it was not enough. He still had not found what he sought which was union with Christ. The teacher got up out of his chair, stretched his arms up and out and the tips of each finger shot pure flame – ten burning candles in the desert – and he turned and asked of his student, “Why not become totally fire?”

As we climb and stretch and gather in light and oil, we make more space for God to be that light within us and to become the lighthouses that the world will really need. In whatever way we can, let’s gather it in and begin to make that space for Him in a new way this Advent. I’m honored to walk it out with you one step at a time.

Raised Catholic rewind:

Raised Catholic ep. 57: Into the Mystic - transcript with link to episode (check out the rest of the series wherever you get your podcasts, episodes 58-60)

Raised Catholic ep. 192: Grown-Up Catholicism - transcript with link to episode

Raised Catholic ep. 6: Catholics and the Bible - transcript with link to episode

Raised Catholic ep. 134: Light at Every Stage (St. Clare) - transcript with link to episode

What I’m watching/reading/recommending:

tv: S I L O - great themes to explore in a really good storyline

IG follow: Scott Erickson - visual prayers for contemplation

practice: evening silence, hand on heart, giving the day to God

quote: “We are warmed by the fire, not by the smoke of the fire. We are carried over the sea by a ship, not by the wake of a ship. So too, what we are is to be sought in the invisible depths of our own being, not in our outward reflection in our own acts.” - Thomas Merton

Prayer:

Oh God of Light and Fire, show us how to receive You and become lighthouses for a dark world, to gather in oil not just for ourselves but for others. Thank you that when we seek, knock and ask, You answer because that’s just Who You are. For us and our dear ones, wrapped in the mantle of Mary and in the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

1. or better off, a mix of all of them