Today marks a year that I have been blogging, and that seems like an opportunity to tell the origin of my blog’s name. I only now looked on Wikipedia for the vesperal hymn “O Gladsome Light,” which when I hear or sing it always imparts something of the reality of the Trinity of which it tells. When I first thought of writing a blog, there was no other name that ever came to mind, even though I feared it might be presumptuous, to put it mildly, to take that title for my own.
But just as we Christians are to be “little Christs,” so I see that all the gifts I write about come from Him, and anything good that comes from me is a lesser light emanating from God. So I post a candle picture in thanks to Him. I like the little dot at the bottom, a lesser, mirrored light. My tiny candle, or reflection of a candle.
As we are reminded in the first chapter of James: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
O Gladsome Light of the holy glory
Of the Immortal, heavenly, holy, blessed Father,
O Jesus Christ….
Gladsome Lights 
beautiful! many years!
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When I was a little Jewish girl in an Anglo-Catholic parish we sang Robert Bridges' translation:
O gladsome light, O grace of our Creatorās face,
The eternal splendor wearing; celestial, holy blessed,
Our Savior Jesus Christ, joyful in Your appearing!
As fades the dayās last light we see the lamps of night,
Our common hymn outpouring, O God of might unknown,
You, the incarnate Son, and Spirit blessed adoring.
To You of right belongs all praise of holy songs,
O Son of God, life giver. You, therefore, O Most High,
The world does glorify and shall exalt forever.
I still remember the tune despite being largely tone deaf. I love it.
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That's one of my favorite hymns! I remember the Greek melody from childhood, and now, we hear the Russian melody to the same words. I've enjoyed catching up on all your travels, grandson #7, the Eddie Bauer boots, woodstove, flowers, etc. It's been a good year of blogging!!!
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Happy Birthday! May God grant many years ~
and, our Father of Lights certainly does use your life to touch others… I was just speaking of you in my latest post =-)
..thank you!
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A beautiful hymn and a fine blog. On to year two!
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I love this hymn as well, and grew up with the same version that Margaret remembers. I first heard it on my annual retreat to Mirfield during my Anglican days.
Now my favourite, I think, is the Valaam setting, although at my parish we use this.
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Thank you for all those links, Michael. I love hearing the different arrangements and melodies expressing the theology. Our parish uses the same version as yours, most of the time. But when I first converted I heard the hymn using the word “gladsome” more often, and I suppose because of the rarity of that word in modern times, it jogged me to more openness.
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What a beautiful title from which to center a blog around. I love this “But just as we Christians are to be “little Christs,” so I see that all the gifts I write about come from Him, and anything good that comes from me is a lesser light emanating from God. So I post a candle picture in thanks to Him. I like the little dot at the bottom, a lesser, mirrored light. My tiny candle, or reflection of a candle.” You are a light as is your blog.
I never realized how much commitment, dedication, and thought blogging required from the author until I started my blog in December. I appreciate even more now, the effort that bloggers must put into their blogs. Happy 1 year anniversary. Congratulation's on your wonderful accomplishment!
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Happy Birthday to your dear and lovely blog.
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One year. A lot of thinking, sharing, and crafting messages. Wayside Wanderer mentioned how in the book Three Cups of Tea, the women who learned to read and write wanted to write a letter as soon as they could. I told my students this in hopes that they would cherish the privilege of reading and writing. Don't you feel that way, too? I'm just so thankful for the joy of creating and the miracle of it.
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Happy Blog Birthday! I enjoy reading every post you write.
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Happy Blogversary to you! I am not familiar with this hymn and shall now go searching the internet to listen to it.
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Happy Blog Birthday! The third link that Michael left above has some very lovely photography in it. Thank you for the explanation of your thinking when you chose “Gladsome Lights.” And I love your candle with its beautiful reflection. xo Kari
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Happy Blogversary!
Dana
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What a beautiful hymn! Now I see that the name is a perfect reflection of your blog.
Happy “1st” Birthday and many more!
Blessings,
Anita
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Add my good wishes and thanks for sharing your light!
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Happy blog birthday! Interestingly enough, I was just wondering where your blog title came from. Lovely! I look forward to another year of your thoughtful and interesting posts!
frances
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I so love what you said in this post: we are Little Christs and Lesser Lights emanating from Him. May it be so in me.
Happy One Year blogiversary and many more to come. I'll be reading.
Jody
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Happy Blogoversary š I've just started to read your blog, but I look forward to reading more.
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