This summer, and through the season of Pentecost, we’ll be
looking at the Parables of Jesus. As noted last week, Br. Luke Ditewig (SSJE)
notes, “A playful perspective honors mystery. There is so much we do not know,
and that’s ok. There is always more than we can know about the other. There is
more than we will know about ourselves. There is so much more about God than we
know now. There is always more.”
I suggest you read the parable itself, perhaps in each of
the Gospel versions (when it’s in more than one Gospel) and/or in more than one
translation. The ‘Conversation Starters’ are questions and ideas to get you
thinking about the parable and your faith. They can also be a way to start a
conversation with others. ‘Action items’ are crafts or activities that you may
want to do with, or without, young children or grandchildren. Play and song are
ways we don’t always equate with prayer and devotion. They are ways to connect
on a deep level. Give yourself permission to try some fun this summer.
Scripture
14‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill
cannot be hidden. 15No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel
basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the
same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16) See also
Mark 4:21-22 and Luke 8:16-17, 11:33-36.
Conversation starters
Seems silly to think of putting a candle under a basket,
doesn’t it? You could start a fire, and you wouldn’t get much light from the
candle.
Jesus says, You are the light of the world. We are
not supposed to hide our light—our talents and love. But we do sometimes do
just that. Have you ever pretended you didn’t know the answer at school or in a
group? Why might we do that? Is it harder to ‘let our light shine’ in a group
of friends or strangers?
In Jesus’ time, there weren’t electric lights, so candles or
oil lamps had to be put on some sort of ‘lamp stand’ so they could be seen and
give light. Even then, there wasn’t much light from just one or two lamps or
candles. Imagine trying to do work with just the light of one candle. You could
see better if there were more candles, couldn’t you?
Have you ever had to use candles, or even just a flashlight,
for light during a power outage or when camping? Jesus says, let your light
shine. We can shine more effectively when there are more of us working
together. What is one creative thing you could do with someone else to shine
more brightly?
Action Items
Try this experiment: Get 5 candles (votive size is OK) and 4
glasses of different sizes. Light all five candles and cover four of them with
a glass. Try to guess which will stay lit the longest.
Or: Try this with a group. Everyone gets a glow
stick. Light them and tell everyone to try and hide their glow. Then repeat in
pairs and teams.
End by singing This Little Light of Mine
