Friar’s Corner: Let your Christ-light shine
Isaiah 58:7-10; Psalm 112:4-10; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16
With our Jewish / Christian faith tradition of some four thousand years, there is obviously much we can share and write about. Each day at Mass or in private prayer, we have several scriptures to share about. We pray to the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds for what will help us grow in God’s love and grace today.
I am just going to expand on St. Matthew’s gospel taken from the Sermon on the Mount section. He gives two images of salt and light. Today we can see salt, which helps to flavor our food. With refrigerators, we don’t need salt to preserve some foods, as in ancient times. Each of us has different tastes. Just enough salt is good but too much is not. Look at the labels on soup cans you buy at the store. There can be a lot of salt. In a religious sense, being salt for others allows them to see God’s light in us and be drawn to him.
Eight ways Jesus is the Light
Light is a more powerful image than salt. On earth, we need the light of the sun. Without it, our planet would become an ice cube. In a religious sense, St. John’s gospel presents us with eight understandings of the Son of God, Jesus Christ as being our new light more powerful than the sun in our solar system. From chapter one to twelve, John speaks of how Jesus is the Light.
I Am the Light of the world:
John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and … was God.”
Jn 1:3-4: “All things came to be through him (the Son of God, Jesus Christ)….What came to be (verse 4:) through him was life, and this life was the Light of the human race;”
Jn 1:5: “the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Jn 1:9 “The true Light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”
Jn 3:19: “And this is the verdict, that the Light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to the Light, because their works were evil.”
Jn 3:20: “For everyone who does wicked things hates the Light and does not come toward the Light, so that their works might not be exposed.”
Jn 3:21: “But whoever lives the truth comes to the Light, so that their works may be clearly seen as done in God.”
Jn 8:12: “I Am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of Life.”
Jn 12:46: “I came into the world as Light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.”
Is Jesus my light?
These statements help us understand who Jesus Christ was and will always be. There is a lot to think about in each of these statements and a lot to teach about in some of them. Where am I and where are you in regard to Jesus being our personal light? The more we pray and desire to be closer to Jesus as our light the more his light grows in us. A simple human image is light bulbs. There are different wattage of light bulbs from small 7=watt night lights to great bulbs to illumine dark places. The closer we get to Jesus, the more intense is his light and power in us. This is one aspect of spiritual light in our life.
Our faith is coming to know Jesus Christ as our savior and the only one who can bring us closer to God and teach us his ways of goodness and light. St. John tells us in 8:31-32: “If you make my Word your home, you will become my disciples (students), you will learn my truth and my truth will set you free.”
Don’t hide Christ’s light
Another aspect of Christ’s light is not to hide it under a bed or bushel basket but to put it on a stand so it gives light to all around it. Why do we turn light on in dark places? So we can see what is there. As we grow in God’s life and Christ’s light, we become brighter. We are meant to bring those special graces from Jesus to others. When we go out of our dwelling place into the world we are supposed to glow with the love of God for all people. We are lit up with Jesus and his light in our eyes and hearts can shine on those around us. This light brings us greater joy. Walk through your grocery store or other places and let you Christ light shine n others. Say hello, smile, say “Jesus loves you” and you could give them a little picture of Jesus, Divine Mercy. Some will light up, others will be curious and others may become angry. Yet God’s love will still touch them. If they refuse that is not your problem. Pray for them. You help bring the love of God to them.
We are meant to shine Divine Light
We are meant to shine and glow for Jesus. In four of the stanzas of the Pentecost Sequence, we read about the Holy Spirit also giving us Divine Light. “O most blessed Light Divine, Shine within these hearts of Thine, and our inmost being fill!” You could also think of or sing: “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” Don’t be afraid, God is blessing others through you.
I humbly ask you to pray for the mind, body and spiritual healing of our President after all the attacks he has endured. We want him to move positively and say, with St. Paul in Ephesians 4:29, as all of us should, “Let no foul word ever pass your lips. Say only what is useful for edification, so that your words may benefit your listeners.”
Let us continue to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for more grace on our country and the world. Have a blessed and glowing week. Love, peace and joy,
+Father Bob Hilz
fbhilz@gmail.com
(© 2020 Father Bob Hilz, TOR)
