A Message from Our Minister “Light, More Light” by Rev. Lane Williams
As I ponder the approaching holiday season – Hanukkah and then Christmas, light is always a part of these traditions for me. One of my greatest joys as a child was driving through the neighborhoods all decorated with lights – in the trees, outlining the houses and transforming the neighborhoods into wonderlands. I grew up in Southern California with no snow or evidence of winter – the Christmas lights did it for me.
Another warm memory I have that’s associated with these holidays reflects the miracle that Hanukkah commemorates. As you remember in the Bible story, when the Maccabees returned to their holy Temple after their victory over the Syrians they were saddened that many things were missing or broken, including the golden menorah. They cleaned and repaired the Temple, and when they were finished, they decided to have a big dedication ceremony. For the celebration, the Maccabees wanted to light the menorah. They looked everywhere for oil, and found a small flask that contained only enough oil to light it for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days. This gave them enough time to make new oil to keep the menorah lit. It was a miracle – evidence that God is always present and supportive, evidence that God is the source that fuels our light from within. I too had a miracle of light. Early in my Unity experience I worked as the office manager and assistant to the minister, Rev. Polly Dozier. I was responsible for resetting the church after Sunday service, locking up, and securing the building – making sure all was safe until we returned. I did this as usual after the Christmas Eve Candlelight service, but I was in a hurry to join my family and to begin the week off between Christmas and New Years – a special holiday that the church staff had been given – so I overlooked the oil-fueled Christ candle at the front of the sanctuary. I did not blow it out. When I returned to work a week later the candle still burned. There had been a sufficiency of oil to have it continue to burn safely for eight days, the church was divinely protected – it hadn’t burned down. For me, someone new to Unity from a Jewish tradition, I saw this as a sign from God that I was in my right and perfect place. Unity became my holy temple, a place to celebrate God.
Light, more light… these are the last words of Goethe, one of the world’s greatest thinkers, as he lay on his deathbed. We can imagine that as his soul released itself from his body, he saw and was enfolded in the light as people who have had near death experiences report. I think these words also symbolize the quest each of us engages in as we progress on our spiritual journey. How can we bring new light into a situation? How can we move through the darkness of confusion and misunderstanding into the light of wisdom and compassion?
When Jesus said I AM the light of the world he wasn’t referring to himself. He was training us to bring forth the I AM essence within us, that God-light that we experience as divine wisdom, guidance and understanding. He wasn’t talking about a source of illumination from the outer world but inviting us to turn within, centering in the stillness and seeing from the consciousness of this divine light. From this illuminated position we will see with God eyes. Eric Butterworth talks of a college student who after becoming blind was frightened by the challenge of finding his way through doorways, around walls, people and trees. He made the discovery that although he could not see the light of the world outside, the light was still within him. When he focused on this inner light he could move about easier. He rarely had problems. He also discovered that the only way he could see this inner light was from love. Anger or fear or sadness diminished the light, with love it expanded.
So now with these thoughts in mind let us call forth, “Light, more light! Bring it on.” And as we focus on love, we are filled with Divine Light, seeing with God-colored glasses. And so it is. And so it is.
