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.

Deus Caritas Est

First Reading: Acts 5:17-26
Psalm: Ps 34:2-9
Gospel: Jn 3:16-21

Friends,

Today's gospel reading is arguably the best known passage in the New Testament (though 1 Cor 13 might be a contender). Rather than comment on today's gospel, I feel it best to let the message speak for itself:

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. - John 3:16-21

This is the core of all Christian teaching. God loves us. He loves us to a level that we cannot imagine. Our hope, our faith and even our very existence rest on this solid rock of truth. It is a universal constant older than the universe itself. Nothing we ever do will stop God from loving us.

Take some time out today to ponder God's love for you. Go to a quiet place by yourself for about fifteen minutes and think about God's love for you and your love for God. If you don't believe in God, or are having a particularly difficult time with faith, think about what it means for you if the message of John 3:16 is true.

Heavenly Father, we give You thanks for the gift of this day. The universe and all of creation is subject to Your almighty power. Yet You chose to love us, though we did nothing to earn Your favor. Help us to always remember that Your love for us is more powerful than anything else. We pray especially for our brothers and sisters who do not believe or who are lukewarm in their belief. May their hearts be softened through the knowledge of Your goodness and the power of Your Holy Spirit. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.