Daily Reflection – 9/23/19
Sacred Scripture
Jesus said to the crowd: “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lamp stand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.”(Luke 8: 16-18)
Reflection
One of the symbols of baptism is light. Parents and godparents are invited to receive the light of Christ – the light is entrusted to them to keep it burning, so that when the Lord comes, he will find them watching.
So too the Christian life should be like a light that shines through all the world. Light is one of the symbols that Jesus Christ uses to identify himself. He says, “I am the light of the world.”
We are a people who have been walking in darkness, and Christ is the light that banished that darkness. Just like putting a lamp under a bed or a bushel is a rather silly idea, hiding Christ from the world is detrimental. Hiding our faith in and love for Christ is as useful as concealing our lamps: no one can see the light.
Showing the light of Christ to the world can be difficult. We live in a secular society that can sometimes be very critical and even hateful to those who believe in something more than the material world around them. But, again, Christ gives us consolation. Again and again, he reminds us, “to anyone who has, more will be given.”
We all have been entrusted with this light of Christ, the question is, are we burning brightly? The past has happened and gone and there is not much we can do to change that than to seek the forgiveness of God for our failures. Christ is giving us one more opportunity today to rekindle our lights.
The best way towards becoming Christ’s light is by the way you live your life. Your life must radiate the Christian virtues of faith, hope, love and charity. When you live radically these values, people will come to know and believe in Jesus. As you strive to do these things, more graces will be given to you by Jesus to enable you become even the more successful in your Christian life.
Prayer of The Day
Lord, you have called us to be your light shining through all the world. Please help us to rekindle the light of your faith, hope, love and charity in us, that we may shine brightly your life to those we meet.
Daily Note
Our eyes are metaphors and symbols for our inner soul. We must seek to be filled with His light, turning away from sin, from darkness, from evil. Jesus wants to shine His light into every part of who we are. Will we let Him? Will we welcome this? Will we see Him? Will we look deeply at Him? Will we share Him? Will we make Him the most important and most prominent part of and person in our lives? If we are to be the light of the world, we can only do so by being like Him. Donald Barnhouse says Jesus is like the sun that lights up the world on its own. We are to be like the moon, whose light is but a reflection of that of the sun. We are to be reflections of Him
