If you have spent any time on the coast, actually any coast, you will very likely have come across a lighthouse. Often on the top of a hill or on a rocky outcrop, or on an island separate from the mainland. But lighthouses frequent all coastlines of the world. We have plenty on the coast of BC. A few not that far from here. With the invention and advancement of the GPS for travel, their value is disappearing but of course over the years lighthouses and those who have kept them, have saved millions of lives. They warn of danger, of potential shipwreck, of unseen reefs and rocks. And they are usually quite beautiful. Quite recently I was reading a descriptor of lighthouses in Ireland. The article, written by Jessica Clarke, was about the possibility of renting one for a night’s stay as their original purposes are not in the same demand. I read this: “To get to the Clare Island Lighthouse in County Mayo, in the west of Ireland, you climb up to the island’s northern cliffs along a road of stones, past damp sheep chewing grass, around the bend through an alley of fuchsia hedges in bloom. Keep walking until you reach the lighthouse and slip your key in the lock, hang your parka by the door and take a seat beside the peat-burning fireplace.”1 Maybe you can taste the salt air or smell the peat-tainted smoke, or hear the creak of the door at your entrance. The article went on to say, “We climbed a spiral staircase for 360-degree views of plunging sea cliffs, choppy open water and neighbouring Achill Island. Our guide opened a hatch, and we crawled through to a narrow balcony. Before I even stood, I heard the whistling of intense wind; the lighthouse’s clifftop position is one of the most exposed on the island. With one hand on the railing and the other holding my hat to my head, I saw sea birds gliding overheard and moody clouds obscuring the island’s peaks.” Doesn’t it sound warm and inviting. But all central to maintaining a lighthouse, a beacon, a warning, a guide on this particular island off of Ireland. Offering light to help mark the way is not always simple or straightforward. In the gospel for this day, we heard these words from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, after calling us to be salt of the earth. He said, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it give light to the house. 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.” Maybe you have heard and admired these words before. Sometimes in our minds we perhaps have the image of a small candle that Jesus is referring to. It makes sense when tied to the descriptor of hiding it under a bushel basket. But I think that the image of a lighthouse lamp is a much more accurate comparison than a single candle. Jesus calls us, invites us to be the light of the world. And I think that there are all sorts of descriptors that go along with being the light of the world. I think the light is meant to be a sign to others that indeed there is light in the darkness. And it is very clear that our world needs a lot more light these days. After Saturday’s horrible and tragic incident at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver, the darkness can feel overbearing and weighing heavily on our thinking and considerations. But our faith is in a God who shows up in the darkness and offers a clear path toward safety. I think the light is meant to be a sign to others that indeed there is a presence in the storm that will support and enable. That no matter what happens, no matter what happens, God’s love will be around us and for us, and within us. We need to know this kind of light for there are lots of storms that come in our direction. I think the light is meant to be a sign to others that there is a different way, a different path, a different perspective that brings fullness of life and a deeper understanding of the purposes of life. It is centred around loving God and loving our neighbour as ourselves. It sounds so simple but it demands the whole of ourselves that pushes against the self-centredness that our society can encourage. I think the light is meant to be a sign that love and healing are known to us. That we are forgiven, that we are blessed, that we are known to God and invited closer. These words are vital to us in a world that often sends very different messages and is quite happy to steer us towards the rocks. I think the light is meant to be something that we reflect in our lives, in our living, in our actions, in our purposes. This light is something that we know as a gift from God. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it give light to the house. 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.” May that light be much more like a lighthouse than a flashlight. May it be about revealing hope in the storms. May it be a sign of God’s love flowing through us. May it be our recognition that we are not just called to receive God’s light in this world but reflect it, reveal it, spread it, magnify it. Be that lighthouse and let your light so shine before others.