-The homily from January 30 is in the library->
-The Scriptures for this Sunday are at USCCB.org ->
-I am preaching this week at 4:00(Sat), 9:30, and 11:00am(Sun)
Light is seen, not heard!
I am reading Matt Kelly's "Rediscovering Catholicism" and at one place he tells the story of Abraham Lincoln in which a man tells the President that he "is willing to die for our cause". The President said in reply, " I have 25,000 troops willing to die for the cause, I need one who will live for the cause."
To live one's life for "the cause". That is what I hear in Jesus' invitation to let our light shine before others. Too often faith is seen as something personal or private between God and the believer. Even an overly religious life, if you will, can be seen as one lived within religion ( kind of inner circle type of faith).
What we need to hear in this call to be light is that light of Christmas...the Word made his dwelling among us, a light in the darkness, that the darkness could not overcome.". The light of faith is not intended to light up our hearts only. The light of faith is not like a fire at the center of the church to keep us all warm and together. The light is intended for the darkness - out there! Faith LOOKS like something.
Where are the dark spots in your world? Personally, in work, in family, in church? Can your faith and communion with Jesus Christ shine out through your love, in the way you live for the kingdom, in those places so that others will know that there is an alternative to the
darkness...it is light ithe Lord.
1 comment:
I love that line from Abraham Lincoln and the Matador’s further reflection on it. It made me think of some specific people living for the cause – whose stories struck me just this past week. My in-laws for instance have served as great role models, in my opinion, as to how to live out married life. When my husband and I first married we spent a lot of social time with them before our first child was born. Often I have reflected back on those times and I’ve realized now what I didn’t know then, that they helped lay a good foundation for our own marriage by their modeling for us in those early years. Just this past week I was noticing how beautifully they continue to love each other as they enter their nineties. My mother-in-law is becoming a caregiver once again, but now of my father-in-law rather than their six children. They are inspirational examples of enduring and active love.
Also in this past week, a friend was relaying to a group of us the story of his mother’s illness and death. He commented that in the last weeks of her life he was struck with how, in her earlier years, she taught him and his siblings so well how to live; and then in her final days she taught them how to die. She showed her love for them throughout her illness but surrendered herself to God’s will, despite her husband’s denial of what was to come. He explained that she was a wonderful model for them of living her life to the fullest as she embraced whatever it was God had in store for her.
So as I read the Matador’s reflection these people came to my mind. These are folks that are living, or have lived, long lives. They have suffered the trials of life but never lost faith, never lost love. While giving your life by dying for the cause is certainly a sacrifice – living these long lives with self-emptying love is also a great sacrifice. And they teach us so much.
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