November 2011 – Page 2 – Hear what the Spirit is saying

Art for St Margaret’s Day

St Margaret of Scotland
Window dedicated to the memory of Mary Ann,
wife of Anthony Metcalfe-Gibson of Coldbeck.
d. May 10,1925.
St Oswald
Ravenstonedale
Cumbria
Click to open St. Oswald’s Church presentation page at Cumbrian Churches Blog.

Click to open Wikipedia article for St. Margaret of Scotland.

It is often told of St. Margaret that she fed the hungry before she herself ate. Less told is that she rose early to say her devotions before the task of feeding.
Join us in a Liturgy of Healing at St. Margaret’s Outreach Center, Thursday mornings at 9 a.m.
and add your prayers of support for the continuance of St. Margaret’s work.
Click for St. Margaret’s Outreach Center.

It is better to light one candle, than to curse the darkness

Lighting a candle is a way to let Christ, the Light, into our lives; it is a way to let our light (of care, concern, hope, love, compassion, interconnectedness, peace) shine into the world; it is an invitation to warmth; the fire of a candle ascends, like our prayer; it can be an offering of self, “our souls and bodies” to God’s glory. … The lit candle can be our continuing prayer, even when our conscious praying is interrupted or distracted into oblivion.

The lit candle, especially in the darkest part of the night, is a symbol of an unquenchable hope; it is a symbol of a life-giving trust (in God).

I encourage you to light a candle, offer a prayer, give light (no, give the Light you know) to the world.

For further reading and reflection

In many different traditions lighting candles is a sacred action. It expresses more than words can express. It has to do with gratefulness. From time immemorial, people have lit candles in sacred places. Why should cyberspace not be sacred? From the website of Gratefulness.org as an introduction to a sacred space in which you can light a candle.

I have started a Group for us on Gratefulness.org. The Group initials are 4 letters: a-m-e-n. Our group is “amen” (without the quotes). As you complete the guided process to light your candle in cyberspace you will have the opportunity to enter a set of Group initials. Use “amen” (without the quote marks). All candles with the Group initials amen will appear together. If you want to find your candle, use your initials in the space provided.

“Amen.” Of course, this is a common ending to our prayers. To say Amen to a prayer is to say to all who hear “Let it be so, even more than I can say, or more than I can ask or imagine, let it be so.”

Click the image or click here: Light A Candle and go to Gratefulness.org I will greet you there and you will be guided in your candle lighting effort; God will do the rest.