Take time to read the collect for today. God wants us to be illumined by Christ so that we may be used to illumine all God’s people throughout the world. Christ came as the light of the world to shine into the darkness of our lives, to invite us into the radiance of Christ’s glory so that we may be illumined from within and become beacons of God’s love in all the dark, dismal places in our world today. Likely, not many of us feel very much like beacons of love, but we can be if we so desire, if we trust our God, who is ever faithful, to provide just what we need to become illumined.

As I meditated on becoming illumined, what all that entailed, the last line of an old hymn came to mind: “Illumine me, Spirit divine.” I could hear it, but I couldn’t remember how the hymn began so I couldn’t look for it in the Index of First Lines in the Hymnal 1982, but in these days there’s always the Internet. I googled that line and up it popped on my computer screen. I find that Clara Scott’s late 19th century words become my prayer, and I hope yours as well, as we allow God’s transforming presence to illumine us for God’s service. Since it is not in our hymnal, I include it here for you:

Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me; place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear voice of truth thou sendest clear; and while the wavenotes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear. Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see. Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere; Open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children thus to share. Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see. Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!