Third Thursday of Ordinary Time

Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the World and it is he who lends us his flame of love. He ignites our hearts and makes us into lamps of his goodwill toward all. When we accept His Light into our lives, we are tasked with lifting it up for our family, friends, and neighbors to see. By doing so we reveal the hearts and minds of those around us and give God’s children a chance to participate in the revelation of what it means to be a servant of the Light. Of course, being a disciple of Jesus also means opening up ourselves and revealing the hidden recesses of our hearts in order to allow His Love to fill us up. Once we are full of his charity, the shadow of sin has no way to enter because all is light within us.

Do we hide the light of the gospel in our daily lives out of fear of what others might think about us? What are our secret sins, the ones which keep us from being a light for others? What can we do to lift up the Light of the Lord and make ourselves into sacramental signs of God’s love for all?

O Lord, make us lights unto your people.

Amen.