Shine Bright!

“I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness” said Jesus our Lord [John 12:46]. What a comfort it is to know that despite the warning of a dark winter ahead, we have the light of life. Our Lord’s light shines bright in each of us provided that we are willing to reflect Him in our works and our words.

“Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life,” according to St. Paul to the Philippians. [Philippians 2:14-16]

The Word of Life

We truly need to hold onto the Word of life especially now as we journey through the uncharted territory of the continuing pandemic and sociopolitical upheaval. The Word of God lights our way to keep us steady on our daily journey so that we do not fall into despair. “For the Lord gives wisdom, from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” [Proverbs 2:6]

In other words, our Lord gives us peace of mind, enabling us to meet our challenges, no matter how difficult, with kindness and compassion. Let’s consider Mary our Blessed Mother. Through Mary, the Word became flesh and Mary reflected the light of her Son every day of her life. Mary never despaired in her hardships or heartache. Reflecting her Son, faith, hope, and love were—and are—the mainstay of Mary’s life.

The same holds true for each of us so long as we are open. Like Mary, when we are open to the Word, we are open to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The light of the Trinitarian life envelops us as the Word lives in us and through us, guiding us in all that we say and do. The choice is ours to make—to follow and reflect our Lord each day or to allow darkness to overwhelm our lives.

Kindly Light

Reflecting our Lord does more than keep us steady in dark and turbulent times. By sharing His light through our joys, works, and even through our sorrows, we are sharing the warmth and comfort of God’s love with everyone in our midst. We have the quiet confidence that comes with adhering to God’s will, participating in Christ’s mission of merciful love, and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

With the light of our Lord we are not alone even when we are forced to stay apart at a time when it seems as though our world is falling apart. We do not always understand why events happen as they do. We oftentimes feel helpless and so alone.

However in the calming light of our Lord, we find strength for our faith; we find the patience to persevere so that we do not lose hope; and we find that God’s love never runs out. Therefore, let us “live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth” [Ephesians 5: 8, 9], and may our reflection of our Lord always remain bright. Amen!