How can I shine like a light?

Here's the reflection I shared this evening at St Catherine's Wickford during our Patronal Evensong:

I’d like you to think about those people who are or have been a special inspiration to you? Maybe it’s … someone in your family? One of your friends? Someone at school or at your Church? Someone in the news or media? I wonder what makes them special? Do they … make you laugh? Look after you? Stand by you? Encourage you? Challenge you? Inspire you? Make you feel special?

There have always been special people in the world to inspire us. In church history Christians have thought some people so special that they have been designated as saints. There are many stories about the saints. Some of them lived long ago, some of them more recently. Some were very brave. Some had the courage to stand by their beliefs, even if that meant being different from everyone else. Some cared for others, especially the people no one else wanted to care for. Some were teachers. Some were great leaders. Some wrote inspiring books. They all loved God and wanted others to come close to God too. Christians sometimes call them heroes of the faith.

Tradition has it that our Patron Saint, Catherine of Alexandria, was a girl of a noble family who, because of her Christian faith, refused marriage with the emperor as she was already a 'bride of Christ'. She is said to have disputed with fifty philosophers whose job it was to convince her of her error, and she proved superior in argument to them all. She was then tortured by being splayed on a wheel and finally beheaded. The firework known as the Catherine Wheel took its name from her wheel of martyrdom. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a very special group of saints known for their very powerful intercession.

Saints are shining examples of how to love God and follow God’s way. Yet, Christians also believe that everyone can be holy, like a saint. So perhaps we are all … saints in the making.

I’m going to light a candle and ask us to be still. In the silence, remember those people who are special to you and ask yourself, ‘How can I shine like a light?’

Loving God, bless all those that I love; bless all those that love me; bless all those that love those that I love and those that love those that love me. Help us, like the saints, to be creators of light in all that we do. Amen.

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Saint Catherine of Alexandria Vespers Hymn