Aisha Bailey

On his appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2007, John Diaz spoke about a near-death experience as a passenger aboard Singapore Airlines Flight 006, which crashed in October 2000.

 

“There was all this spray of jet fuel, which was like napalm, and whatever it hit… ignited like a torch,” he told Oprah. “It looked like Dante’s Inferno—people strapped into their seats, burning. It seemed as though an aura was leaving their bodies… and some were brighter than others.”

 

After witnessing this unimaginable scene, John walked away forever changed—with a renewed sense of spirituality. “I believe life continues on,” he said. “I thought, you know, the brightness and dimness of the auras were how one lives one’s life, so to speak.  I want to live my life so my aura, when it leaves, is very bright.”

Adorning ourselves with trinkets or reciting well-worn sayings does not make one a person of true faith. Nor does attending church each week alone define what it means to be a Christian. It is something deeper. It is about a higher order: truth, sacrifice, and the transformative clarity of love.

Above all, it is a life of service to others, guided by humility and the ongoing pursuit of personal growth.

 

It is not just about turning away from vices—but rather aligning oneself with a greater purpose. A life lived to inspire through quiet actions, with a heart open and thoughts grounded in grace. It is about letting the light of clarity saturate your being until it radiates outward—an invisible warmth that shines through your smile and illuminates from your eyes.

 

This is a light that surrounds effortlessly, uplifting not only the bearer but all who come near. This is true beauty. It cannot be rushed. It takes years—sometimes a lifetime—to cultivate. Yet the very striving for it is sacred. It is the silent power of sacrifice, the quiet radiance of truth.

 

It is rooted in love and encompasses everything we are called to be: standing tall, grounded in the profound and abiding love of God.

 

If you listen closely, even in the quiet moments of an ordinary day, you can hear it—that soft whisper of promise. A call to look toward the future with hope. These are the threads that connect us all. At their core, every spiritual path seeks this same light.  It is not the division of labels that unites us—but the shared longing of our souls. 

 

Be mindful of those who claim to speak for God. True faith is not found in titles or declarations—it is revealed in actions, in intentions.Do others feel lighter when they are with you? Do you feel the flicker of light flowing through you—a divine spark?  In some cultures, there is no word for “religion.” Life is religion. It is a way of being—of being with others.  In this time of reflection, when the world feels uncertain, my hope is that salvation becomes the light guiding others to true clarity. 

 

This is the true purpose of life—not in accumulating wealth or status, but in seeking truth, in learning, and in serving others.  We are here to perpetuate the light that uplifts us all—to carry it, share it, and be warmed by it.On this Easter, I pray that many will embrace this sacred truth and step forward into the radiant stream of light. To become a beacon. To uplift humanity. To live brightly.