In John's Gospel we hear
a new creation story through the revelation that has given to us, "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be
through him and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through
him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines
in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
Christ is our light. John the Baptist pointed to him as our light
and testified to the Light so that others like us might recognize the
Savior. We are born into that
light. We received the Light of Christ
at our baptisms, at our confirmations, at every sacrament the Light of Christ
is present. As Catholics we walk our
journey through life with the Light that God has given us, knowing that God is
there with us. He is our light and life
that animates us with us in his strength, fortitude, compassion and mercy. We
are the Lord’s children by his will for John tells us, “To those who accepted
him (meaning Christ Jesus) he gave the power to become children of God.” Through Christ we have come to know Truth and
the fullness of grace.
Christ is the Light of
the World. We are his disciples. St. Augustine wrote, “We have not only been
made Christians, we have been made Christ.”
What does this mean? There was
once a man riding his bicycle along my road.
I watched him from the upstairs window. As he passed in front of my
home, he hunched over forward on his bicycle and collapsed with the bike. I grabbed my telephone and raced outside to
him. As he opened his eyes he saw me
looking down at him, and asked, “Are you my angel?” I
couldn’t help but laugh for I have so many flaws. But for that moment, I was Bryan’s
angel.
None of us is
perfect. We are all flawed human
beings. However, we are instilled with
the Light entrusted to us by God. Remember
that children’s song, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine”? It means that people will come into our
lives, and need that light to show them the way in the dark, and it is through
our love, compassion and mercy for others that the light spreads and brings
life to others. There are so many Bryans
in the world, and sometimes I may be in need, and maybe you. God will provide the opportunities, but we
must be willing to share the light and life which has been given to us through
Christ. In giving of ourselves like
this, we are like John the Baptist testifying to the Light so that others may
believe and have the light of life. Remember
what John tells us in regard to Christ, "What came to be through him was
life, and this life was the light of the human race."
We are the face of God to
each other. We are His hands and
feet. Let us strive to act as children
of the Light showing mercy and compassion to others through our actions and
words. We ask this in the name of the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
(From my reflections)
