The Light of the World

Every Sunday at the end of our service, we end by extinguishing the chalice flames. (Yes, plural, because we have a children's chalice as well as the "big" one.) When we do this, I usually say something like this:

"As we extinguish our chalice flames this morning, I invite you to take their light and warmth into your own hearts, and go out to LIGHT UP THE WORLD with them. Because you are the light of the world. Then I invite you to return next week to rekindle these flames together in community." I use a snuffer to extinguish the flames. Then I say "Go in peace, return in love."

The congregation is well trained. They won't budge until I say "Go in peace, return in love."

I absolutely love to say "You are the light of the world." I always hear the refrain from "Godspell" when I say it -- "if the salt has lost its flavor, it ain't got much in its favor, you can't have that fault and be the salt of the earth," and "You got to live right to be the light of the world." I usually look right at someone who I KNOW is the salt of the earth, and I say it to them as though I believe that these words will carry them through their week.

Reading PeaceBang reminds me of this moment in our service every week, and how I really do believe that my congregation IS the salt of the earth and the light of the world. I tell them that every Sunday, just in case they need to know.