The Light of Christ

*

The candles lit in Orthodox churches
and in Orthodox homes
speaks of the hope God gives
that is not extinguished by night.
The light is rung forth at Pascha:
"Come receive the light from the never ending light
and Glorify Christ,
who is risen from the dead."

**

Once,
when I was living in a small cute studio
during library school
I woke in the middle of a dark night
in unforeseen terror
feeling like God had suddenly died or never was
and in a fear I have felt not before or since
I frantically grabbed my old Anglican Psalter,
which I still love for its language,
opened and read:

But God hath delivered my soul from the place of hell;
for he shall receive me.
-Psalm 49:15

My fear vanished.

God hath delivered my soul from the place of hell;
for he shall receive me.

***
The theme of light in darkness is
in also our funeral prayers,
'in a place of brightness, a place of respose'...

*

Let us all then continue to light our candles
our lampadas;
our lamps with oil or wax
and turn again and again towards
Christ
who promises to never leave us
who will enlighten our darkness...