This Little Light Of Mine

September 24, 2018

Today’s gospel hit me in a new way. It comes right after the parable of the sower and the seed, and it occurred to me that Jesus continues the metaphor of the word being seed, but in today’s case he uses the image of light. Once we have received the light of knowledge of the Word, the revelation of God’s presence in our hearts, the recognition that love is a verb, the living faith that the miraculous exposes, the workings of the Holy Spirit, the call to holiness, the sound of His voice, the prompting of His Spirit, the need for mercy, the desire to serve others, and/or the treasure of great price, then we cannot hide it. It will be seen. Have you ever tried to hide light? It is the one thing that cannot really hide. God radiates us with these gifts of grace and revelation. As we receive them they charge the light within us so that it spills out unable to hide. 

This light radiates as a special something, or a joyful twinkle in the eye, or the strong resolve to reach out to the poor, or the compassion to hold the broken hearted, or the bold faith to pray for the sick, or acts of kindness toward the unlovable, or peace that surpasses understanding, or patient waiting for God’s timing and will, or the ability to find God in all things, or the gift of living in the present moment, and all the things that show that we know and belong to our Good Good Father. Once we know, we know, and when we know it shows. We can try to hide it and sometimes I know for sure that I try to hide it because it requires me to do the right thing, which is often the hard thing, or to reach out to those on the edges, which is scary at times, or to constantly be shiny, which can be exhausting. However, once we know, we know, and when we know it shows, so I can try to hide it all I want, but it still breaks forth, spills out, radiates, warms, and reveals His presence in my life, and thank God it does. Sometimes the light is little and sometimes the light is big and bold, but it always pierces the dark.

Today I pray that we stop trying to hide the light of love that has been lavishly given to us. I pray that we will let this revelation light shine for all to experience. It says that nothing will be hidden from us, which means that God reveals everything we need in His Son Jesus. When we take care to hear Him, we are given the tremendous privilege to be beacons of what we know. Beacons point others toward the right way. Once we know, we know, and when we know it shows. This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, and it is well with my soul.  

Reading 1 PRV 3:27-34

Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim
when it is in your power to do it for him.
Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once.

Plot no evil against your neighbor,
against one who lives at peace with you.
Quarrel not with a man without cause,
with one who has done you no harm.

Envy not the lawless man
and choose none of his ways:
To the LORD the perverse one is an abomination,
but with the upright is his friendship.

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
but the dwelling of the just he blesses;
When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern,
but to the humble he shows kindness.

Responsorial Psalm PS 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5

R. (1) The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Alleluia MT 5:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowd:
"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away."