...eclipse

It came up in conversation with a friend, the word eclipse and it made me think about what this word means and further than that what it makes me feel.

Without looking at a dictionary definition my understanding is one ‘thing’ partially or completely covering another. I guess more significance is put on what is being hidden rather than the object obscuring the view.

It occurred to me that in the Bible there is a type of ‘eclipse’ moment in the gospels of both Matthew and Luke. Luke Chapter 24 explains how the tomb where Jesus had been laid after his crucifixation had been sealed with a stone covering the entrance. But when the two Mary’s had gone to the tomb to embalm Jesus’ body the stone had been rolled away. Nothing could ‘eclipse’ or contain Jesus and the dazzling light of angels told the women that Jesus had risen from the dead.

So what stone or stones exist that cover or try to contain each of us? And what dazzling lights are within us that need to shine through, be seen and revealed?

Our stones will each be different but I’m sure whether we are believers or not we would want ourselves and our lives to be fulfilled.

My stone is a collection of things – people, situations and fear…

Others surely have more experience than me or have a voice that is more valid than mine. I’m scared to go there, do that or revisit the situation where it was hard the first time and finally what if I fail? How will that feel for me? How and what will others think of me? So maybe I’ll just leave the stone in place and continue to be eclipsed.

But seeing a full moon or the sun high in a clear blue sky with no clouds obscuring the view gives a sense of awe and perfection.

The same is true for us. To be seen and to reveal ourselves in our entirety and letting our whole selves shine is what we were each born to do.

We are each blessed to live and are called to be all that God made us to be.

So if you have experienced a full solar eclipse, I would urge you to remember the eerie silence and cold moment that exists when the life giving sun is covered by the moon.

Close your eyes and feel the silence and stillness just for a minute …

And then push your stones aside and dazzle!