Stand & Shine a Via Transformativa Devotional

As the Full Moon rises, we walk the Via Transformativa feeling the call to justice, to transformation, to healing, and to celebrating.

Invocation

O Flame that danced at the birth of stars,
O Light that clothed the Word in the beginning,
Kindle within us the fire of courage and the glow of truth.
As the moon crowns the night with silver and gold,
May our hearts burn steady with the love that mends the world.
Spirit of Brigid, forge us in your living hearth;
Christ our Light, light the path before us so we can see;
Ancestors of justice, stand beside us in the work yet to come.
In this hour of fullness, we pledge our hands,
our voices, our lives to the Great Work of Love.

The Sacred Moment

Today, the Lynx Moon rises full, pulling tides and truths alike to the surface. May we feel the call to justice, to transformation, to healing, and to celebration. In this sacred brightness of the Full Moon, we walk the path of the Via Transformativa: the way of change, the march of justice, track of living love into form. The world aches for healing, and transformation begins not just in systems, but in souls.

This is a moon to act, to bless, to become.

Theme: Carrying the Fire, Standing in the Light

These are dark and confusing times. Some days it feels like the world is burning down around us, not just in the headlines but in the places close to our hearts. We feel the weight of grief and anger, the constant tug of uncertainty, the sense that so much is slipping beyond our control. And yet, here we are, standing at the meeting point of two great thresholds: the first harvest of Lughnasadh and the new beginning ushered in by the full moon. This luminous moment is a paradox, the end of one cycle and the tender birth of another. In the fields, we gather the fruits of our labor, weighing what we’ve sown and sifting seed from chaff, deciding what is worth carrying forward.

We feel the ache for justice, the hunger for transformation, and the deep need to celebrate what is still good and just. In the Via Transformativa, we are reminded that this is our sacred work: to claim hope, to guard joy, and to fill the storehouses of our spirits with courage enough to face the days ahead.

I know I encountering that little voice with that tells me to give up, run away, and ignore the horrors of the world. Sometimes, that voice is harder to fight off than others, but it is a battle worth waging. There is no hiding from this darkness. It wants a silent, controlled population, and I refuse to let it win.

Jesus’ words ring louder now than ever:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill can't be hid. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a bushel basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

Not someone else, not an unnamed leader, but you and me, here in this moment. We are the city on the hill, meant to be seen, meant to shine. And in times like these, when shadows creep closer and lies disguise themselves as truth, our light matters all the more.

To shine is not to pretend the darkness isn’t there; it is to meet it head-on and refuse to be swallowed by it. It is holding fast to what is true, holy, and good. Our light is not just for ourselves, but for all who are searching for the path. When we shine, we help others see their own light.

For me, this is not abstract theology, but something deep in my breath and bone. It is as real as the flame I light each night and as personal as the prayers I whisper into its glow. To be the light of the world is to live in the knowledge love always wins the day. Hate, fear, control burn bright, but consume everything they touch leaving nothing but ashes. Love, compassion, and mercy forge strength and resilience, and sustain their homes like a hearth fire.

Everyday, love tends the fire of justice when the wind howls and the night feels endless. It is opening the doors of the hearth so the weary and lost can come in from the cold, offering warmth without condition. It is the daily, sometimes costly choice to live unhidden, to let what God has kindled in us shine into the cracks of a hurting world. And it is doing so not only when it is easy or safe, but especially when it feels risky, because the risk itself becomes part of the offering.

Fire and light are our sacred companions. Fire transforms; it tempers the metal until it can hold its edge, bakes the bread that nourishes the body, and forges the tools of tomorrow. It mirrors the refining of our hearts and the strengthening of our resolve.

Light reveals. It lifts the veil from what is hidden, uncovering truth in the rubble, and showing us the way forward when we cannot see the whole path.

Together, they form a calling: to be refined and revealed, to be strong in justice and generous in love, to burn bright enough to warm the spirit and steady enough to guide the lost.

So as the full moon casts its silver blessing over the fields, the forests, and the faces of those we love, I hold fast to this truth: the darkness does not get the final word. We do, in the way we live, the way we love, and the way we shine. Let us carry the fire with steady, faithful hands. Let us stand where we can be seen, not for our own glory but so others will know they are not alone. Let our lives be the proof that hope is still worth planting, that justice is still worth fighting for, and that love is still the strongest force in creation. For in these days, the world needs every spark we can offer and every bit of light we are brave enough to give.

Practice: City on a Hill Meditation

1. Center and Breathe

Find a comfortable position, seated or standing. Close your eyes and take three deep, steady breaths. With each inhale, feel yourself rooted into the earth beneath you. With each exhale, let go of any heaviness, distraction, or fear. You are here, in this moment, in the presence of the Holy.

2. Awakening the Inner Light

Bring your attention to the center of your chest. Imagine a soft glow beginning to kindle there, the living presence of the Cosmic Christ, the eternal Word in whom all things were made and through whom all things are held together. This is not a light outside you. It is the truth of who you are.

See it now as the Sacred Heart of Christ within you, beating with fierce compassion and unshakable love. It is a heart aflame, surrounded by light that is warm but never consuming, bright but never blinding. This heart is both yours and His, one flame shared between you.

3. Becoming the City on a Hill

The light from your heart grows stronger, filling your whole chest, then spreading into your arms, your legs, your head, until your entire body is shining with golden radiance. You are no longer just yourself. You are a living beacon, a city on a hill. You stand high and visible, your light reaching into valleys, forests, towns, and across seas. Nothing can hide this light; nothing can overcome it.

4. Radiating to the Circles of the World

Feel the Sacred Heart’s light flowing out from you. Let it move in widening circles:

To yourself: bathing every cell in love, forgiveness, healing.

To those you love: wrapping them in light that restores and protects.

To the weary and suffering: bringing comfort, justice, and hope.

To those you struggle with: shining on them with the same compassion Christ showed to those who opposed Him.

To all creation: human and more-than-human, every river, tree, bird, and stone. See the light touching every corner of the world, until the whole earth glows.

5. Sealing the Light

Know that this light does not run out. You are connected to the endless flame of the Cosmic Christ, the eternal hearth of God’s love. The more you shine, the more it flows through you. Rest in that truth.

6. Return and Blessing

Slowly, let the image of the shining city soften until the light returns to the Sacred Heart within you, steady and strong. Open your eyes, still feeling the glow in your chest. Whisper:

Christ within me, Light before me, Fire around me, Love through me.

May this light never be hidden. May it heal, restore, and set the world aflame with justice and peace.

Closing Blessing

Great Light of the World,
Flame that never fails,
Carry us when our steps falter,
Shine through us when shadows gather.
Make of our lives a steady fire,
a beacon on the shore for those adrift.
As the moon bears the sun’s fire across the dark,
so may we bear your love into the world.
Let our hands be strong,
our voices clear,
our hearts steadfast,
until justice and peace embrace,
and all creation stands in the warmth of your dawn.
So may it be.