Homily for the Fifth Sunday of the Year
(A) (5th February, 2017) on the Gospel
Is 58:7-10;
Ps 111:4-9 (R. v.4)
1Cor 2:1-5;
Matt 5:13-16.
Can you remember any day you were in a place without
any form of light or the day you experienced power failure as we do often in this
part of the world? Or can you stay in a dark place or blindfold yourself for some
time. If you
have experienced any of these, you may say with the author of the book of
Ecclesiastes: “Light is sweet” (Eccl
11:7).
Topic: Be the Light you are.
Jesus tells us in today’s
gospel: “You are the light of the world ….” This call is not a new one but a
reminder of what we are from the beginning. According to the first account of
creation, light was the first thing God created, cf. Gen 1:3. The account goes further to say that “God saw that the
light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness” (Gen 1:4). That is to say, from the creation
light and darkness do not coexist. Again in the second account of creation, God
first created man out of dust but man remained nothing but dust until God breathed
life into his nostrils which made him a living thing, cf. Gen 2:7. Life according to the scripture is light, cf. Jn 1:4. That is to say that what God
breathed into man was light because God is light, cf. 1Jn 1:5. Hence Jesus reminds us today that we are the light of the
world as long as we are alive because it is light that keeps us alive as we
have noted.
Light according
to Psalm 119:105, 130 is synonymous
with God’s word and that is what Jesus, the Word of God, brought into the world
to bring us out of darkness into His marvellous light, cf. Jn
8:12; 12:46; 1Pt 2:9. In the gospel according to John we read:
...this is the judgment, that the
light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and
does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does
what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds
have been wrought in God (Jn 3:19-21).
Today’s gospel
goes further:
No one after lighting a lamp
puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to
all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that
they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
It is easy for
one to say that he or she is a light of the world. The letter of St Paul tells
us that “the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true” (Eph 5:9). So, do you do what is good
and right and true? The First Letter of Saint John reads, “He who says he is in
the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still” (1Jn 2:9).
We see good
things through light, cf. Ps 4:6.
For the Psalmist, it is only those who are led by God’s light and truth that
will reach His holy mountain and to his dwelling, cf. Ps 43:3. And God has qualified us to share in the inheritance of
the saints in light, cf. Col 1:12.
God who is
light has set our iniquities before him and our secret sins are in the light of
his countenance, cf. Ps 90:8. So we must
be very careful lest the light in us be darkness, cf. Lk 11:35. It is important to note that “even the darkness is not
dark to thee [God], the night is bright as the day; for darkness is as light
with thee” (Ps 139:12). As those who
have been delivered from darkness we ought to walk as children of light, cf. Eph 5:8. God wants us to rise from our
sins and receive light from Christ, cf. Eph
5:14.
It is not
enough to say that one is the light of the world. Every light ought to shine as
light should. Otherwise, such a person in the words of Aristotle can be best
described as a light just in name. It is important to check whether people give
glory to God when they see us act or regret ever meeting us. We ought to walk in
the light of the Lord because He is the true light, cf. Is 2:5.
Bible Readings: Is 42:1-9; Ps 27; Rom 2:17-3:8; Eph 5:3-20; 1Cor
6:14-7:1.
Thought for today: Do you exist as light or as darkness?
Let us pray: God, may we always shine before others so that
they may give glory to you. And be our everlasting light and glory – Amen (cf. Is 60:19-20).
You
are free to share this reflection with others if you consider it worthy.
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