Posted on 09/19/2016 7:41:01 AM PDT by Salvation
In the Gospel today (Monday of the 25th Week of the Year) the Lord says,
No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light (Lk 8:16).
In other words, the Lord lit the light of the Church in order to give light to the world and to be seen. The world is in darkness; the moral darkness of these times is very deep.
You don’t light light. It is the darkness that needs the light. Light is meant to be seen. There are too many “undercover Christians,” “secret agent saints,” and “hidden holy ones.” Jesus didn’t light our light so that we could hide under a basket out of fear or secrecy. He wants the Church to shine; He wants you and me to shine. He wants every Christian to be a light so that we’re like a city on a hill! He wants us to shine so that we can’t be hidden.
If we don’t shine, then the world is dark. That is because we are not just a light, we are (in Christ) the light. If you want to know why the world is in darkness, you don’t need to look very far. We like to think that things are a mess because the wrong party is in power, or Hollywood is too secular, etc. But if we are the light of the world, then the world is dark because we are not shining the light of Christ. Light scatters darkness; it does not blame it. This darkness has happened on our watch. As a Church, we have been too content to hide our light under a basket. That is why the world is dark. If we collectively do our work, then the darkness does not stand a chance. But too many people—clergy and lay—remain fearfully silent while the purveyors of darkness are loud and proud.
To all of this, Jesus simply says, “You are the light of the world.”
Let’s look at some details about the light:
The CAUSE – Jesus describes himself as the One who lights a lamp. We are to yield to Christ, to allow Him to shine through us. He is the cause of our light. Let your light shine. There’s an old gospel song that says, “When you see me trying to do good, trying to live as a Christian should, it’s just Jesus, Jesus in me.”
The COST – The purpose of light is to shine, but there is no shining without burning. Shining costs us something. It may be Christ’s light, but it is through us that He shines. This means sacrifice on our part. It means letting Him use us. It means not always sleeping in when we want to. It means not just sitting at home and saying “Ain’t it awful.” It means getting out there and getting involved. It means risking a few things. It means being targeted and visible. It means being identified with someone (Jesus) who is hated by many. And in a world that prefers the darkness to the light (cf John 3:19-21), it means being called harsh, out-of-touch, and hateful. There is no shining without burning.
The CONCRETENESS – Letting our light shine is no abstract thing. It involves concrete behavior. Jesus talks about deeds. Your light shines by the way you live, the choices you make, the behavior you exhibit. The light shines when Christians get married and stay married, stay faithful to their commitments, and are people of their word. Our light shines when we tell the truth instead of lying, live chastely instead of fornicating, and behave courteously and respectfully. It shines when we respect life; it shines when we stop behaving recklessly. Our light shines when we clean up our language, give to the poor, and work for justice. Our light shines when we refuse to view pornographic, violent, or degrading material. Our light shines when we love instead of hate, when we seek reconciliation instead of vengeance, and when we pray for our enemies. Our light shines when we walk uprightly and speak the truth in love, without compromise. That’s when our light shines.
The CONSEQUENCE – God is glorified when our light shines. We should not act or get involved merely to satisfy our own anger or to fight for our own sake. We are light so as to glorify God. It is not about our winning; it is about God shining and being glorified. Too often when we do get involved we merely seek to win an argument or to be praised rather than to glorify God. We must pray that we have good intentions, for it is possible to do the right thing for the wrong reason. The desired result is God’s glory not ours.
Turn on the lights! It’s time to shine or else it’ll be over soon. Are you ready to shine? The Church is not just any light, the Church (by God’s grace) is the only light there is at all. As a member of Christ’s Body the Church, what are you doing to shine?
Monsignor Pope Ping!
Really Excellent. Thank you for sharing.
“In other words, the Lord lit the light of the Church in order to give light to the world and to be seen.” The Lord lit the light of believers in Him as the One Whom GOD has sent for our salvation. This group is known as ‘the body of believers’ and can be found possibly in every nation on Earth, and it is specifically NOT the Catholic Church exclusively, though good teaching by some like this Priest are likely members of that mystical body which draws its light from the indwelling Holy Spirit in believers. Jesus did not light an institution, HE lit a body of believers, through the in-working of HIS Holy Spirit.
Appreciate the link. That was to a caucus thread, IIRC, so I will not comment on that thread. All of us would do well to NOT conflate the denominational institutions, being man made, with the True light of believers in the world but not of it.
I understand that as a Catholic you believe ONLY your institution is the True gospel carrier. It is useless to argue that point since there are other credible institutional orgs which would claim the same exclusivity. But as your link showed, it was the Spirit in the Apostles which brought forth the light unto men. We are tasked with continuing to allow THAT Spirit to shine forth in each believer, to the extent we yield to HIS Presence in us. The wick is not the light. The wax is not the light. The flame is the source of the light, the boundary where transition takes place.
The LIFE is in the blood of the creature. The blood is not the LIFE; the life is carried in the blood.
I understand that as a Catholic you believe ONLY your institution is the True gospel carrier.
But no cookie? ... I like oatmeal-raisin cookies. Isn’t there one of these institutions which will reward us with a cookie?
Well there is free pie day at Perkins but you have to buy a whole meal.
Here is what Jesus says about being RC and P:
Mat 3:9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
With Francis leading the way?
I have a Perkins close by; what day is pie day?
Monday is free Pie day at Perkins. Maybe an Iowa thing?
http://www.couponsherpa.com/perkins/#all
All us old people are into coupons and free stuff............
Even in the RC and P, there is a remnant..........
Rom 11:3 “Lord, they killed Your prophets and dug down Your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
Rom 11:4 But what does the Divine answer say to him? “I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
Rom 11:5 Even so then, also in this present time a remnant according to the election of grace has come into being.
There are some interesting words in the above:
“I have reserved to Myself.....”
“according to the election of grace “
Let him who has ears to hear.....................
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