God's prism

Change certainly provides a unique opportunity to look at your life in a different light. It's a bittersweet thing, because in preparing to move on to the next step, you are able to to appreciate more deeply all of the blessings that you have been given in this time; yet it also means moving from your current blessings to new blessings, and saying farewell to dear friends and people who have made a beautiful impact in your life in a day-to-day basis.

In thinking about my three years in Washington, D.C. and the wonderful friends I have made, colorful acquaintances I have developed, and the sweet co-workers that I have learned so much from, it struck me how God has used so many people here to speak His love to me. And I see how in each of these people God has touched me in myriads of ways. No two people have manifested God to me in the same way. Rather, each with their own charism, they have shown me the face of Christ, whether implicit or explicit; whether they were Catholic, Protestant, or atheist.


I am awed by the way God speaks to us through one another, answering our prayers through the Body of Christ. I am so thankful for all of these people; the ones who encourage; the ones who challenge; the ones who entertain; the ones who console; the ones who serve; the ones who inspire; the ones who beckon; the ones who affirm; the ones who witness.

Hans Urs Von Balthasar talks about how "The Old Testament spoke in similar terms of God's wisdom permeating the whole of his creation; it was always the same, unique wisdom, belonging to God alone, which is multiplied, as it were, through the multiplicity of creatures, and - as Paul says - is split into many colors."

flickr/by *paylamaginaire*

It makes me think of how the Body of Christ, the Church, is like God's light shining through a prism, manifested to us in the thousands of colors of those around us. How beautiful and rich our lives are because of the way each individual person casts his or her unique hue. And even more beautiful still is the way that God orchestrates these rays in perfect time, that their we encounter the words or actions of specific people who speak to our hearts in times of difficulty, in response to a new calling, or in answer to a prayer.

Von Balthasar speaks to the unique way which God's people witness His love to one another:

"But each one, being absorbed by his task, which is one part, one charism,
within the Church's great mission in the world,
acquires his distinctive and personal face...
For God is always the Unique One, and all he gives his creature bear this stamp:
it manifests and embodies his uniqueness."

Let your light, your own light, shine bright. There is no telling how God will use it to create a dazzling display of light to others.

The best company

“My idea of good company, Mr. Elliot, is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.”

“You are mistaken,” said he gently, “that is not good company, that is the best.”

—Jane Austen, Persuasion

 
I recently read this quote on a blog post from the IMAGE blog and it instantly resonated with me. I thought..."a-ha! Yes, that is what I call good company too." Then I began thinking, appreciating, how so many of my friends and acquaintances fit this description; how I enjoy their cleverness, their intellect, and their conversation.

This weekend I feel like I was particularly blessed with a plethora of amazing, thought-provoking conversations with friends, old and new. We talked about vocation, femininity, music, relationships, politics, food, nutrition, expectations, hopes, and dreams.

I am so grateful for this good company. You dear friends inspire me, challenge me, encourage me, entertain me, and enlighten me. What a gift this is, to walk through the valley of life, trudging up and down the paths together, with such true and heartfelt companions.