Who are You, O sweet God and Who am I?

“Who are you, Oh sweet God, and who am I?” These words were repeated in my head as I prayed at the Altar of Repose one Holy Thursday. I couldn’t get the words out of my head. A few weeks earlier a group of religious sisters had visited my workplace and sang these lyrics and now they were coming back to me. I sat there and prayed the lyrics over and over again and then tried listening for an answer or some insight from God. Nothing was coming after an hour of being there, so I decided to pack it in and I started home. Outside it was windy and raining. “Gross,” I thought as I sprinted for the bus stop, finding shelter in a little alcove of a stationary and gift shop to wait for the bus. As I stood there waiting, the lyrics came again. “Who are you, Oh sweet God, and who am I?” In the rain and semi-darkness, my eyes were drawn like a magnet to a sign displayed in the shop window… “You are my sunshine.” Whoa! The words hit my heart. I knew the Lord was speaking to me and I felt it deep down. I am His sunshine in the darkness and the rain. I brighten up His day.

We all are, in fact, His sunshine. Each of us individually delights Him in our own unique ways. Have you ever stopped to think that you are a delight to the Lord? You, with your own ways of thinking and feeling and being are like warm summer sunshine to the Father. He loves you despite your faults and He simply enjoys you. 

The first part of the song lyrics can also be answered by that sign in the shop window…Jesus is my sunshine. What does this mean to me? Jesus is the light shining in the darkness. He is light and He came into the world to bring light where there is darkness, sin, suffering and confusion. I always find it so beautiful and a powerful sign of Jesus bringing his light and truth into the world when at the start of the Easter Vigil mass the church begins in darkness. Then slowly the darkness is overcome by the light as the faithful light their candles from the Easter candle and the church is flooded in light. Jesus always brings clarity when there is confusion, confidence when there is uncertainty, healing where there is hurt, love when there is hate, peace where there is turmoil and light when there is darkness in your soul. 

This Easter, I encourage you to trust in the power of His light on earth. Trust in His power and goodness. Trust that whatever struggles you are facing or whatever uncertainty you might have, Jesus is there to bring comfort and clarity and shed His healing light. 

I also encourage you to set some time aside this Easter season to pray and ask the Father, “Who are you, Oh sweet God, and who am I?” Then sit, listen and receive. The answer might not come right away, but know that He answers all your prayers and is eager to show you how much He loves you and that you are His sunshine.