We've all seen them, those bright lights that shine on Holy people. One day I was in church with my family and a man walked in with his wife and children. It was the first time I had seen him since the front page story appeared about some mistakes he had made. When it came time for the sign of peace, something inside of me prompted me to go over to the man and give him a hug. The "halos" were all busy shaking hands with each other...maybe they didn't notice that the man and his family were being ignored. When I hugged the man, he did not want to let go.
This man is living in his own cave now, apart from his family. The family moved away from my church. They wanted to find a new place where they could live, maybe a place that they could fit into. I was disappointed in the "halos" that day, not because I am better than anyone else, but because I know what it is like to feel as if you are on the outside, to feel as if you are unworthy to have a halo.
The man's wife keeps in touch with me. Her husband is sharing his gifts with others that are forced to live in the cave with him. The truth is that he has a halo, not because of who he is but because of who Jesus is and because Jesus now lives in the man's heart. The people in my church were too blinded by their own halos to see the light in this man. He had to be incarcerated before others could see it. Apparently, most people in prison do not have halos. They live in darkness, most of them being tricked into believing there is no room for halos in prison. This man's halo is for real. It comes directly from God. It declares to others that the light comes from God and that this man is God's son. He will be invited to live with Jesus forever because he knows that Jesus died for his sins.
The lesson I learned about halos comes from knowing this man. There is no halo on earth bright enough to earn admittance into Heaven. Lucifer had a halo too. It was the brightest light in Heaven. He and His buddies thought they were so bright that they did not need God. Once they were separated from God, their light disappeared. The greatest of sinners receive halos when they repent. Jesus gives his light to all who ask for it. The next time someone tells me they see a halo above my head, I will be quick to tell them that it comes from the Son and I will make sure they discover that they can have one too, no matter what they have done in the past. Jesus forgives. The halos He passes out are real. Ask for yours today and don't forget to share it with others, especially the ones that the other halos overlooked because they were blinded by their own brightness.
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