“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path”
In today's meditation on the Word, I will focus on a passage from the Gospel in which Jesus says: " No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed ". But first a few words about the light, about the lamp. In the Psalm 119 we read - Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path. (cf. Ps 119:105)
And Jesus compares the testimony of life and the duty to preach the Gospel to putting a light on a lampstand. It is obvious that no light is placed under the bed or covered with a pot. This behavior is against all logic. Because what is the light for? It would light up the darkness, to show the way. Groping in the dark can lead to a small and sometimes bigger catastrophe. At best you can bruise yourself, at worst you can hurt yourself or others seriously. Therefore, light is necessary for us to function at night. Light illuminates the path, gives a sense of security, warms, and scares people away who may endanger us. In the darkness, there is usually all evil, all dangers. When we do not see where we are going, it is easy to stumble, bruise; what is not seen, it is difficult to avoid. Because there is nothing hidden that would not be revealed, or anything secret that lest it be known and come to light. This is another function of light. When we turn on a light, we can look at everything from a different angle ... it is even said to look at something in a different light.
All dirt and imperfections come out in full light. Some people are afraid of the light. That is why they prefer to operate in the dark, under the cover of the night. And how is it with us? Are we also afraid of the light? Or maybe the light is a blessing for us, a rescue, is it something that we cannot live without? Do we want light, do we cling to it? Do we warm up with it? Or is it better for us to freeze in our small, tight, dark corner?
How about our bringing light to where it is dark? Do we take it boldly? No matter what others say? Or maybe we assume that the light is mine and mine only. I will not give it to anyone. And we act like primitives’ people who "snarled" at anyone who wanted to take their fire. Let us answer these questions, questions about our relationship to light. The light that is our testimony, our proclamation ... but the greatest Light is Jesus and we should carry His Name wherever we go wherever darkness has fallen ...
One more thought.
Listening to the today Gospel, a simple truth comes to me: either I am true or false or I live in a clear, simple, transparent way and my life is a light for others and helps them move forward, develop themselves or I'm still livingpretending, simulating values.
In short, either I love, I am happy, I am peaceful, patient, polite, gentle, faithful, good, composed or I pretend it all, and when no one sees, I give myself to the dark forces in me, to some low passions. Christ tells us today that all that is hidden will come out anyway: " For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light."
Straightening, cleansing, x-raying, simplifying our life is done by listening to God's Word. Jesus once told his disciples that they are already pruned because of the word that He spoke to them (cf. Jn 15: 3). God's Word examines, judges the desires and thoughts of our heart. Without such verification of life as is done through God's Word, you will think that you are someone, that you have everything, and it may turn out that you are not that good at all and that you have little. I experienced something like this when I picked up a Bible and found that I was unable to read more than 5 chapters of the Gospel of St. Matthew. What I thought about myself, seemed to me that I have fallen into ruin. In the Bible, I saw a different world, different values, and thank God, because I started rebuilding my life. It is not enough to live with the Gospel, we must enter in it and participate in the life of Jesus.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george