This week we have a guest Friday Following author. Adam Paulson is on staff at Gloria Dei as the Director of Communications and Assistant Media Director. He is usually behind the scenes making the magic happen. This week he comes out from behind the camera to share a faithful reflection on the Gospel of Matthew.
I wanted to take some time to reflect on a portion of the weekend’s Gospel reading, Matthew 5:13-16, specifically verses 14 and 16, which read, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
The only tattoo I have is a firefly on my right forearm. When reflecting on the beauty of the natural world, I often find myself in awe of these tiny creatures. For most of their lives, they’re unassuming, often invisible to us. But at night, during the last few weeks of their short lives, they come to life. They emerge from their dwellings and flash their lights for all around them to see.
Fireflies perform their nightly light shows so that they can find a mate and reproduce before passing away. Often, the places we see them doing so are in rural areas, where light pollution can’t get in the way of their own blinking patterns. To see fireflies shine, we have to get away from the busyness of cities, the go-go-go nature of everyday life. As we read this weekend of being the light of the world, I find that seeking out fireflies is a beautiful way of thinking of this concept.
We are called to be a bright spot in other peoples’ lives. What if we turn that phrase around? Other people can be a bright spot in our lives. God is a bright spot in our lives. To truly connect with and admire the light that is other people, as well as the joy found in quiet meditative time with God, we need to get away from life’s distractions. To allow ourselves to slow down and notice the small, light-giving beauty that’s around us once we strip away the life’s noise and blinding lights. The moments where I allow myself to settle into that way of being are some of the most restorative of my life of faith.
In her wonderful 2020 book World of Wonders, poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil writes the following:
“I know I will search for fireflies all the rest of my days, even though they dwindle a little bit more each year. I can’t help it. They blink on and off, a lime glow to the summer night air, as if to say: I am still here, you are still here, I am still here, you are still here, I am, you are, over and over again. Perhaps I can will it to be true.”
I love that. Even amidst chaos, when I can’t see the reasons why terrible, tragic events unfold, I can pray the simple words of a firefly’s glow: I am still here, you [God] are still here. Knowing that God is still here, and I am still here, can often be enough. I don’t always need the answers, and when I can’t find them, I find solace in the fact that God is here, guiding me through and being a witness to my grief. With that steady, quiet strength, I can go and be a firefly for others as they go through life with me.
We’ll see you in worship,
Adam Paulson
