The eclipse of the sun last Friday morning was a beautiful rare moment. In Cork we were lucky as the clouds parted just at the start of the eclipse. It grew noticeably darker and cooler from 9 a.m as the moon passed between the sun and the earth, blocking much of the sun out. The last time it happened was way back in 1999. There are a few spiritual angles we can connect with the eclipse.

First of all it rarely happens and anyone who sees it agrees how special it is. We too are special, unique and precious. The biggest difference between ourselves and an eclipse is that we are precious and special every single day. Secondly there are things and people in all our lives that block out the light. It might be a difficult situation we are in, it might be some person who drains us with their negativity or a failure on our part when we are the one who blocks the light. Can we remove one block and allow the light in?

Thirdly the image of light is at the heart of what we believe. We say God is light and that this light is always there. Even during the times in our lives when we find there is no light or the times when we are struggling to find the light, it is good to know that someone is holding the light for us. An eclipse may block out the light, but the light is still there, just hidden. God may at times seem lost and hidden in our lives but even during our most difficult moments God is in there, helping us to find the light and to be the light to someone else.