Shing out of Ashes

Shining out of Ashes

God is Light. This Uncreated Living Light, ever since the moment of creation, has been permeating all creation (including all dusts) through and through.* "Remember, we are dust and unto dust we shall return." It is impossible for us not to become living dust in varying shades of darkness if we continue to shut ourselves off from this infinite, omnipresent, unshakable foundation and transformation of the whole universe. How can we then tap into this invisible yet awesome mystery of God which seems ever so close and yet ever so remote from us?

"Turn away from sins and be faithful to the Gospel!" On the other hand, even as earthen vessels, it is impossible for us not to begin shining forth God's transradiant Light when we repent and live faithfully according to the Gospel. "If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world [i.e., the prince of darkness] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts." (2Cor 4:3,4,6)

"The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear." (Mt 13:43) How is it that not many Christians today are beaming with God's radiant Light? Is it only for Heaven then?

On the mountain of Tabor, Christ was transfigured, and "His face shone like the sun." (cf. the back cover of the Feb. issue of Living with Christ, 1999) "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai… Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God." (Exe 34:29) In the Acts, we read that St. Stephen's radiant face "was like the face of an angel." (Acts 6:15) It is a well-known fact that during a certain height of persecution in the early Church, many Christians, to avoid detection, had to put a piece of cloth over their resplendent face. St. Basil wrote: "Shining upon those that are cleansed of every stain, he [God] makes them spiritual by communion with himself. As bright, transparent bodies… so souls in whom the Spirit dwells, through his illumination, become spiritual and send forth their grace to others." (Basil, De Spir., s., 1,22 and 23, PG 32, 109 AC)

"You are the light of the world. Let your light shine …" (Mt 5:14,16) Apparently, if we cannot let God's Light shine through us, we can blame no one but our own unawareness, priority, laziness, etc. As we know, God's Light has already permeated us through and through. Yet it is through our sufficient fervent prayer (as well as our virtuous life and good works) that God's Light can continuously break through the ungodly "veil" (cf. 2Cor 3:14-16) which permeates and darkens us in untold bondage. Whether or not we like it and know about it, there is a quiet, undetectable (to our five senses) tug of war going on within and around each of us unceasingly, i.e., between God's transforming Light (Energy/grace) and various unwanted, deforming energies. To those who can detect it, countless ungodly rays are penetrating and homing into our soul-body energy system days and nights. They pervade and saturate us from all directions, silently, invisibly and unnoticeably. This murky condition becomes worsened in varying degrees each time after we have sinned. Hence God's Word admonishes us: "Live as children of light - for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in unfruitful works of darkness." (Eph 5:8)

Immediately one may ask: How sufficient is sufficient as regards our daily prayer, i.e., the amount of quality time to be spent in daily prayer? It is obviously very difficult to give a people-pleasing answer to this unspeakably important --- yet much-neglected --- question today in our rush-and-rush society. If we were to give a bold recommendation regardless, it would be at least four fervent hours**.

Everything radiates --- in an immense range. In fact, if our eyes are trained or suddenly opened to see the unaccountable number of unwanted, ungodly rays ceaselessly invading us from everywhere, a great intensity of prayer as mentioned is precisely what we need. Where there is no pain, there is no gain. It is normally through such a strenuous cooperation with God's grace that we can be significantly liberated from these enslaving energies and become a God-pleasing channel of grace, both for ourselves and for others.

Let us reflect a bit on our own experience. Were we not abundantly filled with God's grace and radiant with His peace and joy during and immediately after our last Spirit-filled retreat? God surely wants to bless us with this wonderful grace experience again, as often as we allow Him, even on a daily basis. "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rom 14:17) And this Kingdom is within each of us (cf. Lk 17:21)

Another question which may instantly come up is: What would we do in those hours? Here is a recipe among many:

1) Participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is the infinite Holy Sacrifice of the infinitely holy and self-giving God Himself.

2) Receive fervently the Sacred Host. This infinite Living Source of God's Light is the infinite Living God Himself whom "the angels and all the choirs of heaven worship in awe" (Eucharistic Prayer - Preface of Weekdays in Ordinary Time II).

3) Spend at least 15 minutes, if possible, to thank the Lord after Holy Communion. St. Maximillian de Kobe in his daily living used to spend half the day preparing for the Mass and another half to thank the Lord he had received.

4) Spend as much time as possible in prayer, adoration and contemplation, etc., before the Blessed Sacrament, the infinitely humble God Himself hidden from our sense perception.

5) Pray the whole 15-decade of Holy Rosary if possible. Without exaggeration, every single chanting is needed to substantially burn away the unwanted energies remaining in us. Pray then the Rosary --- sweetly and slowly --- and experience its awesome Spirit-given transforming power.

6) Do some sacred reading and meditation, e.g., the Bible, writings of the Saints, and other good Christian literature.

7) Attend a Spirit-filled adoration group or prayer meeting, etc.

8) Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, if necessary, with God the infinite Source of Light.

*In its study of the totality of reality, the metaphysical system of Theology of Energy is ultimately induced to two universal categories or dimensions, i.e., the created (reality/ universe/ energies/ energy/ kingdom/ etc.) and the Uncreated (Reality/ Universe/ Energies/ Energy/ Kingdom/ etc.). Unlike most transcendental theistic dualisms, this Uncreated permeates and embraces the created through and through, infinitely so. At the same time, the created, through the help or grace of the Uncreated, can tap into the Uncreated in varying finite degrees.

**In fact, it has taken the author more than fifteen years to finally understand and accept this tough dosage. It was received as a mere joke and hindrance to his daily living when the answer was first given. One may respond: "Four hours? Come on! Give me a break. I simply do not have this kind of time!" That may be why we are not radiant with God's Light. The author once met a retired nun who shared with him her unique spiritual experience, saying: "Now I can do what I really want." She continued: "Now I can spend as many as eight hours daily praying before the Blessed Sacrament!" If we cannot afford four hours of fervent prayer every day, perhaps we can do it once a week or so. By and large, if we really want to experience shining forth God's Light out of ashes daily, there is hardly another alternative. Is there any?