A Light In The Darkness

Today’s gospel reading in Matthew is part of the discourse we call the Sermon on the Mount. In yesterday’s gospel, Jesus opens His sermon with the beatitudes. He begins by telling us how to live our lives so that our actions can be blessed. I call it the “BE-attitudes”.

Yesterday our deacon said in the homily that the beatitudes are like a stained-glass window and when the light shines through the glass, each color represents a particular beatitude. He said that the color is a self-portrait of the kind of person Jesus wants us to "BE" and that we are drawn toward one particular beatitude more than others.

He used a great visual analogy, and I contemplated it all day. I kept asking myself, “Which beatitude am I drawn to and how do I live that beatitude out in my life? What color of light do I shine?” I think this is something I will be contemplating for a while and maybe when I figure it out, I will write a reflection about it.

Jesus continues in today’s reading by telling His disciples (and us) in Matthew 5: 13-15, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket, it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.” Jesus tells us that as His disciples, our actions must shine so others can see our good deeds. Our good deeds are to point others to Jesus who is the source of our light.

If anyone has ever been to a music concert, there usually comes a point at most concerts when all of the lights in the stadium or arena are turned out or dimmed. Then everyone turns on the flashlight on their phone, or back in my day, lights up their cigarette lighter. It’s such a cool thing to see. In the abyss of the darkness, little lights all shine and subsequently lights up the stadium. Each person holds their light high in the air and waves it slowly from side to side.

As a Christian, this is how our actions are to shine before others. In Matthew 5:16 Jesus says, “Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” We must lift our lights high so others can see Jesus through us.

I strive my best to be that light shining but I must admit sometimes I struggle. That’s when I stumble and fall to sin and my light goes very dim or maybe even out. The longer that I stay in the darkness, the more I stumble around. Sort of like waking up in the middle of the night and stubbing my toe on the furniture or the door as I try to make my way to the bathroom. I find that the longer I stay separated from God in my sin, the more I fumble about until finally my heart is yearning for and drawn to Jesus’ light.

As a Christian who is Catholic, we are blessed to have the sacrament of Reconciliation. Here the priest stands in persona Christi”, a Latin phrase meaning "in the person of Christ" We believe that through the grace of this sacrament, we receive Jesus’ forgiveness and absolution for our sins through the priest as persona Christi. (You can read more in the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1548). It’s through my sorrow and repentance of my sins that I can restore my relationship with Jesus. Once restored, then I reignite my light and begin to shine again. Jesus always gives us grace when we ask for it to live out the beatitudes and let our light shine again.

Jesus is calling us today to be His light in a world of darkness. We need His Divine Light to shine upon the truth and expose the darkness, expose the evil, and reveal the lies this world tells us. We need the Holy Spirit to give us the strength and grace to follow His Divine Light. He wants us to shine brightly for everyone else to see. He wants the light of our actions to glorify His and our heavenly Father.

If you are struggling and your light seems to be dim, let us not stumble around in the darkness but ask Jesus for forgiveness and if possible go to the sacrament of Reconciliation. Let us live out the beatitudes daily as Jesus instructs us in the sermon on the mount. Let us turn to our Lord and ask Him for the grace to let our light shine so others can see Jesus through us.

©2023 Kendall Berry Lasseigne