The main body of the pin-fire opal, such as I have, is usually white and shows a myriad of small pinpoint-like colors all through the surface. The flashes of color are due to a special optical effect occurring when a ray of light meets a very thin film of the opal which has a different optical density from that of the light. Precious opal contains a large number of these thin films which are thin layers of submicroscopic spheres. The flashes of color vary as the stone is rotated.
Now, how can we compare ourselves to opals? First of all, an opal with lots of fire in it, is attractive, and is very precious. When we have the fire of the Holy Spirit in us, we can attract others by our Christian attitude and behavior. We can draw more people to us and to our Lord.
Every opal is different. Each of us is very different—unique and precious in God’s eyes. Each of us has different color spots: different ways of reflecting to those around us the Light that is Jesus. When I turn my opal, I see different colors; when we show our talents and God-given gifts to our brothers and sisters, we find more colorful ways to lovingly serve the Lord.
Color, or fire, in opals is caused by the collision with light. Our fire is caused by our collision or meeting with the Holy Spirit who can fill us with zeal and power if we are open. In the Old Testament especially, fire was a symbol of theophany, the presence of God, and it was an instrument of his power. God came to Moses in a burning bush.
Fire is refining and purifying in its power, as we read in Isaiah 43:2b:
The fire is purifying us and many times in the scriptures, God speaks of the refining fire.
In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit brought power to the disciples as tongues of fire rested upon their heads. And after that, the disciples were filled with evangelizing zeal and the fire of God’s message of love.
For years, there was a lot of mystery surrounding the opal and what caused its various properties. We, too, are accustomed to certain mysteries of our faith that we don’t fully understand. However, we do have faith and that does not have to be totally explained to be beautiful.
There was an ancient superstition that opals could restore keenness of vision. We know that the light of Jesus Christ can bring greater clarity to our vision of his kingdom. We see things of this world differently when we look through Spirit-filled eyes of joy-filled faith.
Opals can be fluorescent, can glow in the dark. With the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us, we can have a special glow about us amid the darkness of temptations, materialism, pandemic, and worldly unrest.
How do we keep our fire burning? We need to be prayerful and willing to surrender to the Lord who is our source of heat, light, and breath of life. We must fan our fires and stay close to the one who adds the color to our humble lives.
One final note about the opal: potch is opal that does not show the play of color, or as miners say, is not alive. Let us be sure we treasure and nurture the fire within us, so no one can say we are potch! Let the glow show!
Sharon Krause is a RENEW volunteer whose writing has appeared in several resources for small-group faith sharing. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother residing in Manchester, Connecticut. Over the years, she has served in many parish ministries.
Scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved