Thursday, January 29, 2026

 

Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

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

The gospels frequently refer to Jesus as light.  In John, Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world.”  In Luke, the visionary Simeon, while holding the infant Jesus in his arms, calls him, “’… a light for revelation to the Gentiles.’”  In today’s passage from Mark, Jesus uses a metaphor to say the same.  He is a lamp that has come into the world so that people may see. 

Jesus adds in the Gospel of John, “’… but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil’” (3:19).  The light of truth prohibits actions which many defend – sex outside of marriage, lying to get what you want, drinking until inebriated, and more.  For this reason, Jesus adds, “’The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.’”  That is, if you do evil, it will bite you back.

“’Take care what you hear.’” Jesus further tells us.  We must listen to him, reflect on what he says, and follow his counsel every day.  His light will point out the way to our true happiness.

Monday, December 26, 2022

Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

(Acts 6:8-10.7:54-59; Matthew10:17-22)

Celebrating Christmas, we walk in the light of Christ.  Today’s Feast of St. Stephen reminds us that those who walk in light are bound to cast shadows.  In these shadows lurk evil spirits who would kill before being exposed to the light, especially the brilliant light of Christ.

The reading from Acts relates Stephen’s martyrdom but skips over his speech which provoked the wrath of his assassins.  In that discourse Stephen revisits the sins of Israel from the selling of Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, to the crucifixion of Christ.  The people who hear Stephen, not wanting to be enlightened about the sins of their ancestors and even less of their own sins, stone Stephen.  He dies begging forgiveness for his persecutors.

In proclaiming the whole truth of Jesus, we will find opposition.  Those who oppose us will not kill us, but they may criticize us unjustly.  Because we follow Christ, we are to respond to the criticisms like St. Stephen.  That is, we are not to condemn but to pray for our persecutors.

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

 

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

(I John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35)

The first verses of the Bible say that in the beginning God created light.  Light was to establish order in a universe immersed in chaos.  The order did not last.  In time the universe experienced a moral chaos.  God once again created order by sending His Son, Jesus Christ.

Both readings today feature light.  In the gospel Simeon calls Jesus “a light … to the nations.”  His light will reveal two great truths.  First and foremost, God loves the world.  He wants humans to share His eternal life.  Secondly, to have eternal life, humans must love in return.  Above all, they should love God.  But they must, as well, love their neighbors.  The first reading comments on the gospel truth.  The person who follows Jesus’ command to love stands in the light and is saved.

It is no accident that Christmas is placed around the winter solstice.  The ascendant light symbolizes Christ’s conquering the chaos of sin and bringing life to the world.  We have to follow the light of Christ by doing the often-hard work of love.                                                                                                                                                                                       

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 12:24-13:5a; John 12:44-50)

Perhaps the greatest mind in the Age of Enlightenment belonged to the English scientist Isaac Newton.  Newton mapped with mathematical accuracy the laws of mechanics and of motion.  He was also a philosopher and theologian.  The poet Alexander Pope lyrically summed up Newton’s achievements, “God said, ‘Let Newton be,’ and all was light.”  In today’s gospel Jesus speaks of himself also as coming into the world as light.

As light Jesus performs two great services.  First, he uncovers human sinfulness so that people may repent and be reconciled.  Some desire privacy so that their sins may not be known.  But Jesus does not allow them to fool themselves by speaking to their consciences.  More importantly, Jesus shows humanity how to love.  Because of him, the highest measure of love will not have anything to do with sex.  It will be counted in the degree of sacrifice one makes for the good of others.

Sometimes we feel reluctant to allow the light of Christ to shine on us.  We may take pleasure in our sinfulness or we may hate others so much that we do not wish reconciliation.  When these conditions invade our being, we should turn to Jesus in prayer.  His light will provide gentle warmth to draw us out of our funk into his grace.

Monday, January 7, 2019

Monday after Epiphany

(I John 3:22-4:6; Matthew 4:12-17.23-25)

One of the great corporations in our city sponsors a festival of lights during the Christmas holidays.  It invites the public to its production center adorned with colored LED lights.  The lights do not dispel the darkness as much as they take advantage of it.  Because of the darkness the brilliance of the many lights is revealed.  In a similar way the darkness of the human conditioned allows the light of Jesus to be manifested.

The Gospel of Matthew sees Isaiah’s prophecy of a great light in Galilee fulfilled in Jesus.  His ministry enkindles hope in people beset with the glum of misery.  Today’s passage shows him healing the pained, the possessed, the disturbed, and the paralyzed.  Jesus’ preaching further urges those ensconced in the darkness of sin to repent.  Coming out into the gentle glow of God’s mercy gives them freedom and joy.

We have begun a new year.  It is time for us to start over in the quest for virtue.  We must rid ourselves of thoughts that belittle others.  We need to let go of our fears so that we might affirm those around us.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 12:24-13:5a; John 12:44-50)

In today’s gospel Jesus states once again that he is the light of the world.  He means that he enables people to distinguish good from bad.  He can do this unfailingly because he is both God and human.  As he says, “’…whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.’”   Jesus’ reference to himself as light corresponds to what scientists have learned about light many centuries later.  Both have a dual nature.

Light acts as both matter and energy.  It travels as waves of energy, but it can be broken down into tiny particles which scientists call photons.  Its dual nature allows light to increase its energy for work.  Laser technology is the harnessing of amplified light energy to perform different tasks like minimally invasive surgeries.

We should keep ourselves close to Christ.  As human he knows our needs.  As God, he can help us in any situation.  His light will keep us out of trouble.  Even more importantly, it will guide us to our eternal destiny.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 1:17-25; Matthew 25:1-13)

Light is the first product of God’s creation.  Besides Jesus himself light becomes God’s finest gift to humankind.  Light enables people to see and, by analogy, to discern and understand.  For this reason, Jesus is referred to as the “light for revelation to the Gentiles” in the gospel of Luke and the “light of the world” in John. 

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Matthew’s gospel, he tells his disciples, “...your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”  In today’s reading, which comes from his last public discourse, Jesus refers to light again.  The five virgins with enough oil to keep their lamps burning brightly have stocked their lives with good deeds and are now prepared to greet the bridegroom who is Christ.  Meanwhile, the five who whose oil runs out are those whose supply of good deeds is scant.  They will miss their heart’s desire when he arrives.

Many of us would help others if asked yet are hesitant to seek out opportunities.  As a result, many real needs go unmet.  Prisoners needing visitors, hospitals needing volunteers, and night shelters needing helpers only begin to name possibilities for those who desire to fulfill Jesus’ command to his disciples.  Such services take time, but the deeper question is commitment.  How much of ourselves are we willing to give to the Lord now so that we might be his forever?

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

(Acts 5:17-26; John 3:16-21)

An elderly man carries a large magnifying glass wherever he goes.  He admits, however, that the glass does not do much good without sufficient light.  In fact, he says, good lighting is more helpful for reading than the magnifying glass.  In today’s gospel Jesus is presented as the transformative light which turns good motives into virtuous acts.

The text emphasizes that God did not send Jesus to condemn the world but to save it.  People may get the former idea because Jesus could not but make some demands and prohibit some actions.  After all, human tendencies since Adam have been rather predominantly selfish.  But any sternness about Jesus is more than compensated by his graciousness.  The light he beams should be understood as the glow of the early morning which stirs followers to a just way of living.

It is time to be hopeful. The Lord’s resurrection has become our destiny.  We have both reason and direction to live lives of virtue.

Homilette for April 11, 2008

Memorial of Saint Stanislaus, bishop and martyr

(Acts 9:1-10)

With the jubilee year of St. Paul fast approaching, we can reflect for a few minutes on his conversion. Of course, the reading from Acts today tells its story. But today’s reading is just one of four accounts the New Testament gives of the event. Paul himself writes about it in the Letter to the Galatians which must be considered the most reliable source. The two other accounts are taken from speeches of Paul also recorded in Acts. One interesting note is that none of the four accounts mentions that Paul was knocked off a horse on the way to Damascus. That detail probably comes from a painter’s depiction of the conversion. A more curious element is the light which supposedly blinded Paul.

Did Paul actually see a light or is this reference a metaphor meaning that Paul came to know the truth? In Galatians Paul does not tell of any light. He only says that God revealed His Son to him. This reference indicates a vision of the resurrected Jesus which Paul twice claims he had in his first letter to the Corinthians. Perhaps Jesus appeared to Paul wrapped in light. Matthew describes Jesus in this way when he describes the Transfiguration which is traditionally interpreted as a glimpse of Jesus’ future resurrection.

At the Easter Vigil services this year Pope Benedict baptized Magdi Allam, a 55 year-old Italian journalist who was raised a Muslim. In a letter to the newspaper of which he is deputy director, Mr. Allam wrote of his conversion as “finally (seeing) the light.” The journalist went on to say that he received death threats for turning to Christ just as Paul did. Reading the letter, we get the idea that significant forces within Islam are intent on terrorizing people into accepting what they cannot in conscience believe. Paul, of course, never evangelized in this way although in history other men did so in the name of Christ. As Christians seeing the light have apologized for the sin of fanaticism among ancestors, we can pray that the light of respect and peace penetrate the consciousness of all Muslim brothers and sisters.