Let Your Light Shine PDF Print

WE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD


Wow! Look at all the Christmas lights everywhere!  They light up the spirit of the season of joy and its celebration in both children and adults. What we truly celebrate at Christmas is that Jesus came to cast away the darkness and create a kingdom of light. Jesus continues to shine His light upon us as he continues to reveal Himself to us in the scriptures, the sacraments, the Church and by His Holy Spirit.

We are sometimes blinded from the true reason for the celebration of Christ’s coming into the world by the glamorous lights of the city and its worldly attractions, which draw us away from the one true light who is Christ. We are consumed with things of this world and cannot see the way, the truth and the light of Christ. 

In order to get a good view of the stars or even fireworks, we must go out to the suburbs where things are a little less cluttered with city lights. In a similar way we too must go to a place which is a little less cluttered with worldly lights in order to realize the full light of Christ. Maybe a quiet place where we can focus with our spiritual eyes on this all-important guiding light. Jesus always reveals Himself to those who humble themselves and are open to the light.

One of my favorite Christmas light decorations was the house with the super large star made of many strings of lights blazing from its rooftop. It was so tall and so bright that it could be seen from a half mile away and would guide me home at night.

How striking is the symbol of the star that shows up again and again in all the images of Christmas and on this feast day of the Epiphany! The theme of light dominates the Solemnities of Christmas and Epiphany.  We see lights everywhere. Unfortunately, sacred symbols risk becoming common place because of their commercial overuse. Yet, the bright guiding star still gives rise to deep feelings to Christians in this Holy Season.

As we hear in today’s gospel of the star over the crib in Bethlehem, we are reminded that like the three wise men we too are pilgrims in search of the truth with a deep desire for a relationship with our God.

Who does not feel the need for a "star" or someone to guide them on their earthly journey? Individuals and nations both feel the need to satisfy the universal yearning for salvation and deliverance from oppression. The Lord Himself chose a people, the Jews, symbolized by the Star of David, to be the guiding star for "all the families of the earth".

With the Incarnation of His Son, God then expanded His choice to every people, no matter what their race or culture. Thus the Church came into being, formed of men and women who, united in Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit, press onwards towards the kingdom of the Father and are bearers of a message of salvation intended for all men.

As faithful followers of Christ, we, as Christians, are called to be the light of the world.

The light that shone in the night at Christmas illuminating the Bethlehem Grotto, where Mary, Joseph and the shepherds remained in silent adoration, shines out today and is manifested to all as we celebrate the great Feast of the Epiphany. The Epiphany is a mystery of light, symbolically suggested by the star that guided the Magi on their journey. The true source of light, however, the "sun, that rises from on high" is the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

In the mystery of Christmas, Christ's light began to shine on the earth beginning in that manger in Bethlehem and spread outward in ever expanding circles. First of all, it shines on the Holy Family of Nazareth:  the Virgin Mary and Joseph are illuminated by the divine presence of the Infant Jesus. The light of the Redeemer is then manifested to the shepherds of Bethlehem, who, informed by an Angel, hasten immediately to the grotto and find there the "sign" that had been foretold to them. Later, the light shown upon the wise men and on to each disciple, apostle and, then through the Church, to everyone. God revealed Himself in the humility of the "human form", in the "form of a slave", indeed, of one who died on a cross.

The word Epiphany comes from the Greek meaning “to appear” or “to be shown forth”. According to Roman Catholic tradition, Epiphany signifies the first appearance of Christ to the gentiles in the story of the visit of the three wise men to the divine infant Jesus. God led them by means of an extraordinary star across the desert to the little town where Jesus was born. In their thirst for the knowledge of God, they willingly left everything, their home and country, in pursuit of that quest. The three wise men represent all the peoples of the world, who live in darkness and needed a new light to survive spiritually.

According to medieval legends, the three wise men were named Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspar. Each of them came from a different culture: Melchior was Asian, Balthazar was Persian and Gaspar was Ethiopian, thus representing the three races known to the old world. These three priest-kings and wise men brought royal gifts to the divine infant: gold, symbolizing the kingship of Christ who will reign over His kingdom, frankincense, symbolizing the Godhead of Christ and our own gifts of honor and reverence, and myrrh, which is used as a royal embalming oil eluding to the prophecy of the death and burial of the earthly body of Christ.

As the three wise men represent all the known peoples of the world, this signifies an appearance to the entire world, not just a few who call themselves Christians. The Christ appears in many names and many guises throughout the world. In the Gospel of John, Jesus proclaims: “Other sheep have I that are not of this flock.”

We, as Christians, manifest or “show forth” our divine light by living our own spiritual path as we are divinely guided from within, having true faith in the forgiveness of sins through the redemption by Christ.  We become the “light of the world” when we bring Jesus to others through our compassion and forgiveness towards others and by giving service to help build His kingdom. We are guided by the graces of our baptism and through the leadership of the church to the place where we too are born again. We are guided to a place of the awakening of our true and royal Self, the Christ within. We offer, as gifts, our faith, hope and charity, as well as all that we possess in aiding the divine work of redemption that has been set before us.

The Jewish people waited for thousands of years for their savior to come to dispel the darkness of oppression in their lives. It was only the humble servants of God and a few shepherds who received the knowledge of His coming and participated in the coming of the great light that would overcome darkness. We too can participate in His coming today and every day as we journey from our pews to the altar and open our spiritual eyes to the light of Christ in Holy Communion. Let us adore and worship Him this day and everyday! Let us offer to Him our gifts of our faith, hope and love. Let us then carry that light out of these doors to everyone we meet, beginning at home, into the workplace, at school and on the street.

How do we do this? The Mother of Christ and of the Church, gives us the answer.  Her example of total availability to God's will teaches us to be a "manifestation" of the Lord. We lovingly, trustingly and unselfishly open our hearts to the power of grace and faithfully abide by the words of her Son who is light of the world and the ultimate star we must follow.

Soon, many of our Christmas tree lights, house lights and, yes, even that awesome bright star on the rooftop of the tall mansion will be removed from our sight.  We are challenged to keep the light of Christ burning brightly in our hearts. We can do it if we try.  We are the light of the world. We can make this our resolution for the New Year!

 
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