“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.” (Luke 8:16)
Jesus uses a simple image—a lamp—to teach a profound truth about discipleship.
Think about the purpose of a lamp. Lamps are meant to shine, to give light. We can put them on timers or systems like Alexa. You can set your family room lights to turn on 20 minutes before sunset. Why? Because we know that’s when the light is needed. That’s when the light can fulfill its purpose: brighten the darkness, illuminate, make clear the way to go, to be the beacon of hope like a lighthouse to a seafarer.
And so it is with our faith.
Continue reading
Back in the day, I was part of a small advanced team that began the turn-over process for a fleet ballistic missile submarine as one crew relieved another crew. Our small team from the Gold Crew rode a tug into outer Apra Harbor, Guam, where we transferred to the submarine and were taken down the hatch. As soon as we were below, we instantly knew something was wrong. We had descended from the clear Pacific island breezes into the “locker room from hell.” It was though the fragrance from every high school football locker room had been concentrated in the confined space of a submarine. While you might think that description is exaggerated or part of a “sea story,” let me just say, the locker room analogy was kind compared to actual ambiance. 
Currently, I am reading “The History of Florida” by Michael Gannon, a professor emeritus at the University of Florida. The book is a monographic sweep through Florida history from the pre-Columbian landscape, the settling by native peoples, the arrival of the first European explorers, the history of ethnicity and immigration, and to the changing landscape of life and people who form the great state we live in. So far I have also learned an amazing amount by the early Franciscan missionaries in Florida and Georgia in the 16th and 17th centuries. It put me in a “historical mindset” this week. 
friarmusings 