I like the image of little glass lanterns, millions of little glass lanterns, each one a slightly different color. The glass is slightly different shade, and as the Lord illuminates us, and shines through us, the distinctive color of each one becomes more evident. We become more ourselves than we were able to be before, but it is the same light of Christ inside of every lantern.

Transcript:

One of the things that I found was really different in the Orthodox churches, there’s an expectation that you’re going to change, that there’s actually something to do in the spiritual life. Often we think, what do you do when you’re Christian? Well you get baptized, you align yourself with a particular institutional Church, you pray the sinner’s prayer. They’re various steps that you go through, but after that, what do you do? We try to be a good person, I guess. In orthodoxy there’s a little bit more than that though. It’s expected that we will grow and change and become increasingly filled with the presence of God until we are glowing with his light. In that way God, will reach further and further into this world around us by being able to work through us, by being able to change lives, and reach other people. That’s one of the most important things we do.

The biblical images for this our first of all Moses and the burning bush. That when Moses saw this desert shrub that’s on fire and yet the fire is not destroying the shrub. It is able to bear that light and yet remain itself, and that same thing applies to us. God who comes into our hearts, comes into the center of our being, and illuminates us, and sheds His light within us. I like the image of little glass lanterns, millions of little glass lanterns, each one a slightly different color. The glass is slightly different shade, and as the Lord illuminates us, and shines through us, the distinctive color of each one becomes more evident. We become more ourselves than we were able to be before, but it is the same light of Christ inside of every lantern.

The first image is that one of the burning bush. Another one, a biblical example that’s obvious, is when Christ went up on the mountain and took with him Peter, James, and John. He was transfigured before them so that He was filled with light. Not not only his body, but his clothing. Everything was radiant. We take that as an example of where we’re going, what we’re supposed to be aiming toward. The same Transfiguration that Christ showed at that moment, as He revealed his true self to Peter, James, and John. That’s our destiny as well. We are called to be filled. We are destined to be filled with Christ’s glory. That’s where we’re going.