For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

[Excerpted from “A Trick of the Light,” by Anthony Chvala-Smith, Jan/Feb 2025 Herald, p. 9]

There was a monk of the Egyptian desert named Abba Isaiah. That other monks addressed him with the honorific title “abba” meant he was a reliable guide in things of the Spirit. He once invited a younger brother to his hut to teach him a lesson about the spiritual journey.

Having washed his guest’s feet, Abba Isaiah put some lentils in a pot to cook for their meal. The lentils had just boiled when Isaiah brought the pot to his guest and served them. The younger monk said, “They aren’t cooked yet, Abba.” But Isaiah replied, “Is it not enough simply to have seen the fire?” (The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, Liturgical Press, 1984).

The Abba is not being obscure, but metaphorical. If we probe our experience, we’ll likely get this point. Somewhere, somehow, we, too, have “seen the fire.” It’s what holds us to this hard, unpredictable, unfinished pilgrimage called faith. Amid our disappointments, failures, bungling attempts to serve, and regular misunderstandings of the good news, we have glimpsed that our truest freedom lies in surrendering to this tremendous mystery, this numinous “flame,” which our hearts recognize and cannot revisit enough.

It's no secret that church folk everywhere struggle to navigate our time’s complex social, moral, and global intersections. There aren’t simple formulas for doing that. But what if one way into our unmapped future is as old as a monk’s ancient desert wisdom?

“Remember what got you on this journey!” Isaiah would tell us. “Even if only once, long ago, you ‘saw the fire,’ it’s quite enough to have glimpsed it.” Keep refocusing on the numinous presence of the One whom the psalmist declares, “is wrapped in light as with a garment” (Psalm 104:2 NRSVue).

Prayer Phrase

“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).

Spiritual Practice

Light

Close your eyes and become centered with your breath. As you breathe gently in and out, reflect on the statement, “The light of God is in all things.” The light has a bright, soft beauty and radiates God’s healing love. The light of God reaches you and permeates you with a deep sense of peace. Rest in the light as it surrounds and fills you. Thank God that you live in God’s light, and it lives in you.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.