Thursday, January 27, 2022

 Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(II Samuel 7:18-19.24-29; Mark 4:21-25)

There is an old story about a rabbi quizzing his disciples.  “When does the night end and the day begin?” asks the rabbi.  One disciple answers, “When you can tell the difference between a cow and a coyote on the horizon.”  Another student responds, “When you can distinguish the oak from the apple tree in the meadow.”  The rabbi says that neither disciple has answered correctly.  “Then when is it?” the students demand.   The rabbi answers, “Night ends and day begins when you can look into the eyes of a stranger and see your brother or sister.”  He continues, “If you cannot do that, you are still in the night.”  In today’s gospel Jesus gives a similar lesson.

Jesus is telling his disciples a parable about a lamp.  He says that a lamp is brought into a room to reveal what is hidden.  The disciples will eventually understand that Jesus himself is the lamp.  He reveals to his disciples that they are brothers and sisters not just to one another but to every man and woman. More than that, he enables them to see that they are children of God with an eternal destiny.

The light of Christ makes evident difficult truths like the need to forgive. We put it under a bushel basket when we refuse to allow his words to make us kinder and more patient.  In this way Christ enlightens for us the road to heaven.

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