Mirrors

First Reading: 2 Cor 1:18-22
Psalm: Ps 119:129-133, 135 -- Lord, let your face shine on me
Gospel: Mt 5:13-16

Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. - Matthew 5:16

Friends,

What does Jesus mean when he tells us that we are the light of the world? I thought that he was (is) the light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5). How is it that we are to be a light to the world, if Jesus is that light?

Think of a dark room, with lots of furniture and walls. Now, imagine that a candle is lit in that room. Its brightness is wonderful and now many things are visible. You notice that some of the objects in the room are mirrors. In the dark, they didn't do much good. They did not give light to anything on their own. But, once turned toward the candle, they reflect its light to other shadowy areas. Note that they are still not making their own light, but spreading the original light. If they are turned away from the candle, they will be of no use.

In this analogy, Christ is the candle and we are the mirrors. The light itself is God's love for us. Christ came to share His infinite love with the world, and it falls on everyone, regardless of whether they are facing him or not. However, once we are directed toward that source of love we not only receive the light for ourselves, we begin to reflect it out to others. The love of God is spread more and more as it is reflected in us to the rest of creation.

We are also called to remember that, without the source of that love (light), we have nothing to reflect. If the mirror is turned away from the candle and toward another object, the mirror cannot give off its own light and both will be left in darkness. We cannot claim for ourselves the love of God, nor can we claim that we are the source of love. In order to have and share love, we must recognize and give the glory to its source.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of this day. We are grateful for your endless love for us and the infinite number of ways that you show us that love. Grant that we might be good mirrors of Christ. Help us to orient toward him, and polish us well, that we may be like lights to those in darkness. We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.