Letting our light shine brightly: a Communion service.
Call to Worship
Our worship begins with God, who draws us together in worship.
Jesus said,
“You are like light for the whole world.
A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.
No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead he puts it on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house.
In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.”
And so may it be with us.
The God who separated the light from the dark at the creation of the world, is the same God who calls us to shine brightly, that we might dispel the darkness with our light. The same God who calls us to worship. So, let us worship God.
We Sing
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Everywhere I go,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Everywhere I go,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Everywhere I go,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Reflection
We live in a very polarised world. Recently, someone asked me, “what do you think about New Zealand’s COVID-19 restrictions?” What a loaded question! Without knowing exactly what the person was wanting, I honestly couldn’t respond to them.
At the heart of a question like this is a desire to know: do you agree with me, or not? You only have to read the newspaper, listen to the radio, or if you’re daft enough, scroll through social media to realise that New Zealand’s infamously altruistic team of 5 million has seemingly folded into two opposing sides, on almost any COVID related topic. Whether it’s mandatory mask wearing for school students; gathering limits at church; vaccine pass requirements at cafés, and the list goes on. And the sentiment’s the same: either you’re pro or you’re anti; either you’re with us or you’re not.
But life isn’t that cut and dry. We don’t live in a reducibly black and white world. There are beautiful splatterings of colour strewn throughout all of life’s decisions; hints of light that ricochet off the prism of life, into our porous world.
Our readings this morning point to the kind of life that God calls his chosen people to live. We read that our lives are a reflection of the goodness of God. And that it is through the way in which we live that God is revealed to those who do not know him.
In a world that is extremely divided across religious, political, social, and cultural lines, where everyone has an opinion on absolutely everything, and where no one cares about anyone else except themselves, those who bear the light and life of Christ are called to step up and let their light shine even brighter. Now is not the time to hide our light under a bushel, but to climb to the highest hill and ensure that our lives radiate the love of God, revealed to us in Christ, to those both near and far.
But what might that look like for us, in the here and now? Our readings suggest that being associated with the God revealed to us in Jesus means laying down the things that harm and cause injury to others, and instead picking up tools used for peace and reconciliation. In today’s context, where a person’s words can cause more damage than the sharpest sword, this might look like adopting a new way of conversing with others that seeks to honour them, often at the expense of our own selves.
And as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. Our Matthew reading entreats us to be excessively hospitable with those who most would rather shut out than welcome in for a meal. How might we personally extend this same excessive hospitality to the most vulnerable in our community? Something to ponder over tea and coffee after the service.
I have to be honest with you, I actually find “This Little Light of Mine” to be quite an annoying song, but boy is it catchy! But I think the catchiness of the song suggests something about the quality of our light: that it ought to be contagious! And so may it be with us!
In Communion, we who shine the light of Christ are invited to come to the table of Jesus Christ, commemorating the Meal that he shared with his disciples, looking forward with joy to the Meal we will one day share, in his presence and in the presence of those we love and have loved.
This is an excerpt from the February 2022 monthly, mid-week communion service. These are held on the second Tuesday of every month. For more information, contact the Church Office.