Sparkle

I was recently told that I sparkle when I teach. It was a compliment that brought tears to my eyes. My favourite professor from college always sparkled when she taught, and I have always thought that if I could sparkle, if only half as brightly as she did, then I’d be happy. Sparkling, it seems, is a natural consequence of using our God-given gifts to the fullest of their potential. Sparkling is little bits of God’s grace shining through us, being reflected to others.

A good friend of mine likes to say that he envisions that we will be like great, dazzling diamonds when we get to heaven. That’s the epitome of sparkling, for sure. I imagine that he’s right, and yet, I think that we have the potential to sparkle here on earth, too.

Each week at Sunday Mass just before Communion, I, along with the other congregants, pray, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you. Only say the word, and I shall be healed.” As I utter those words, I drop to my knees and plead with God to help me empty myself to Him, so that He may fill me with His Light and Love in the Eucharist. I know that I am not worthy, but it is His grace, and His grace alone, that gives me the courage to deign to ask. The Light and Love that comes to us through the Eucharist is the same Light and Love that is reflected as we sparkle.

All love, all life begins at the foot of the cross. Just as water flowed from Jesus’ precious side when it was pierced, so too Jesus flows with love, mercy, and compassion for us from the Cross. We must receive the Eucharist in order to give. We must receive the Eucharist in order to sparkle. And we must use the gifts that God has given us, in order to be the great, dazzling diamonds that He intends us to be. Each one of us is called to sparkle for we are Children of God.