Monday of the
Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
(Proverbs 3:27-34; Luke 8:16-18)
The sign near the prison chapel read, “Prayer is talking
to God; meditation is listening to him.”
But prisoners are not the only ones who need reminding that
communication with God is a two-way street.
Many think of God only when in need of assistance. They forget that God has expectations of
them. In today’s gospel Jesus makes this
point.
When Jesus says that no one lights a lamp to place it
under a bed, he means that he does not enlighten his hearers just for their own
sake. Rather, he intends that his disciples
put his message into practice. They are
to love God and neighbor.
The Book of Proverbs provides helpful guidelines to carry
out this commission of love. We are not
to put off doing good. Rather, when a
neighbor is in need, we are to help her.
Perhaps she needs to share some grief.
Even the busiest among us might stop five minutes to give her complete
attention. Such a gesture stands out as
a bright lamp on the gospel lampstand.
