My Dream
I had a dream last night that started off scary.
I was in the house, and everything was dark. I was starting to feel scared, so I thought, “if I can just turn on the lights, everything will be ok.”
But of course, nothing worked.
All I had for light was a candle in my kitchen counter.
Then I happened to look down at a lamp near me, and noticed there were light bulbs in it, and they looked new. So I decided to try and twist one in to see if maybe it just wasn’t in the right way.
And sure enough, after twisting it, both lightbulbs turned on, and the lamp worked!
What I did before bed
Last night before going to sleep, I was reading some books that my parents gave to me for my birthday. One of the books is called, “Praying with Mother Teresa, Prayers, Insights, and Wisdom of Saint Teresa of Calcutta” by Susan Conroy. There are several parts in the few pages that I read last night that mention light. Here is a quote from the introduction as an example:
“Just as the Eternal Word of God is ‘a lamp to our feet,’ the teachings of the saints are always relevant, applicable, and inspiring to our present-day lives, casting light on the path that leads to Eternal Life” (Page 3)
“The saints help us to love more beautifully and live more purposefully. They are right here with us, with their words of wisdom, spiritually reaching out to take us by the hand and guide us home to a place of refreshment, light, and peace. They know the Way- and they want nothing more than to companion us and to show us the Way.” (Page 3)
Conroy, Susan. Praying with Mother Teresa: Prayers, Insights, and Wisdom of Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Marian Press, 2016.
When I woke up from the dream, I was a little freaked out. In my dream when nothing was turning on, and I was in the dark, I was scared. I felt an evil presence, but had the sense that if I could just get some light on, everything would be ok.
We all are meant to shine
Reflecting on my dream from last night, I think that some of what I read last night must have stuck with me.
Mother Teresa spent a lot of her life going through a dark period, where she did not feel God’s presence. But she still searched for God every day, and desired to be close to Him.
“Saint Teresa of Calcutta would spend hours each day in the presence of our Lord in the chapel- and then she would go forth to radiate His love and His presence on the world of our souls.” (17)
Conroy, Susan. Praying with Mother Teresa: Prayers, Insights, and Wisdom of Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Marian Press, 2016.
God is present in each and every one of us. He burns like a flame in our souls. While reading the quote above, I see the imagery of a Baptism day for someone entering the church. The priest lights the candle that symbolizes the faith of the new member of the church, and entrusts it to the godparents to keep it bright.
I also imagine Mother Teresa kneeling by the tabernacle, her soul aflame with the light of being in the presence of the Eucharist, and then taking that flame out into the world to light the souls of those whose flame has gone out or needs some more light.
I am also reminded of the biblical quote,
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all those who are in the house. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:15-16 NKJV
Putting it together
We are all called to let our light shine/keep our faith strong! Not just for our benefit, but for others as well. If our light is strong, and our faith is burning bright, we will have an easier time lighting others and building up the fire in their souls for God, just as Mother Teresa and all the other saints have done.
In my dream, I was scared of the dark. All I wanted was some light. I was seeking comfort. I was seeking God.
I had a candle that was lit, but it wasn’t providing enough light. Then I found some lightbulbs. With a little bit of effort, after twisting one in, they both turned on and the lamp worked!
We need to keep our faith strong. That requires effort. Maybe it means going to daily mass once a week, listening to praise and worship music, dedicating time to spend in silence talking to God. Or, reading a spiritual book to learn more about our faith and other saints.
If we live our lives striving for sainthood, we will get there! And our light will shine so bright that it will reflect on others. Just like how both bulbs worked after twisting the one, our faith can help someone else get closer to God.
That is what all of the saints want for us. They want us to ask them for help to reach heaven. They want their light to shine down on us, to help us get closer to Jesus.
Where to shine our light?
It can be daunting to think about sharing our faith with others.
“But where do I even begin?!” you might ask. And I have the answer.
Our domestic church- our homes.
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
Mother Teresa
I was trying to get my kids involved in mass this morning, and was feeling defeated. They did not want to sit and listen to the priest. They just wanted to pray. But then I showed them the figures of Jesus I had saved from our Holy Week activities when the kids had buried Jesus.
Rebecca was lying on the floor with her pillow and blankets, and said “Mommy, I’m laying with Jesus!”
Gabriel was asking a lot about Jesus, and noticed his “boo boos”. I told him he could give Jesus a kiss, and he did. When we were praying after communion, I asked Gabriel what he wanted to pray for, and he said he wanted to pray for “all the bad guys that hurt Jesus.
In the meantime, I’m feeding Shiloh, and Theresa is running back and forth in our living room (we did virtual mass today) giving me kisses.
The kids may not be listening to the priest or fully participating in the mass (after all, they are toddlers!) but it doesn’t mean your light doesn’t reach them! If anything, I feel like their lights are the one keeping my flame burning bright most of the time. The sincerity and purity of their love is truly humbling.
Each of our kids (and soon Shiloh will too!) received a candle from baptism that was entrusted to us to keep burning bright. And for now, that’s where I am focusing on shining my light. (And I am hoping some is shining through this blog too :D)
I hope you all have a BRIGHT week!
How are you shining your light?
Looking for Resources?
Are you looking for resources that will help you grow your faith? One idea I have is to check to see if there is a Catholic bookstore near you! If I need some peace, I make my way to the one near me, and walk around for a little bit surrounded by Catholic images, items and information. Most of the time I leave the store with some treasure I found.
I grew up in Annandale, VA, and the closest one to our house was The Paschal Lamb. If you are in Fairfax, VA or near the area, it is still there and I highly encourage you to check it out! It recently got new owners (that are associated with the parish my parents go to). That is where my mom found the books for me for my birthday that I reference in here.
They also participated in an Easter basket giveaway with @alphaomegaclinics, which I was fortunate enough to have won! They were so generous and filled the basket with so many wonderful resources like a shining light doll, chews life rosary, blessed saints forever doll, the book, “Listening for God” and more that I was able to include in my kids’ Easter baskets, and share some goodies with my nephews and niece.
If you’re not local but would still like to check them out, they do have a website and online store! You can view it here.
