Mt 5:13-16
Light Mt 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste,
with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."
Light is a wonder. It has a color that varies depending on it's wavelength. It is a visible energy. In our modern society, we often just assume that when we need light it will be there at the flip of a switch. During the recent hurricane season, Florida was bombarded by storm after storm. At the monastery, we were open as a shelter to those who had homes that were coastal, low lying, trailers, manufactured and others who had to evacuate.
We went through several days and several times of having no power at all. It was an eye opener. I had a little "mag" light and we had kerosene lamps and candles. During our blackout times, there were a few times that I took off down a hall with no light. It is a strange and slightly unsettling feeling to be walking a familiar area but in the pitch black. My memory kicked in for where things were but I was on a hyperalert for any object that might have been added to my pathway since I had last seen the area. It is really interesting how much we need light and yet how little we actually sit and think about it.
The reading above is about sharing. To have a light and cover it up is a waste of what we have been given. This means to me to be truly present to others and share the gifts that I have been given. If I want to let my light shine, I need to be tireless and sincere in sharing all that I have and am with others. In conclusion, I have just remembered a wonderful saying of "The Christophers". "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness."
Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste,
with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."
Light is a wonder. It has a color that varies depending on it's wavelength. It is a visible energy. In our modern society, we often just assume that when we need light it will be there at the flip of a switch. During the recent hurricane season, Florida was bombarded by storm after storm. At the monastery, we were open as a shelter to those who had homes that were coastal, low lying, trailers, manufactured and others who had to evacuate.
We went through several days and several times of having no power at all. It was an eye opener. I had a little "mag" light and we had kerosene lamps and candles. During our blackout times, there were a few times that I took off down a hall with no light. It is a strange and slightly unsettling feeling to be walking a familiar area but in the pitch black. My memory kicked in for where things were but I was on a hyperalert for any object that might have been added to my pathway since I had last seen the area. It is really interesting how much we need light and yet how little we actually sit and think about it.
The reading above is about sharing. To have a light and cover it up is a waste of what we have been given. This means to me to be truly present to others and share the gifts that I have been given. If I want to let my light shine, I need to be tireless and sincere in sharing all that I have and am with others. In conclusion, I have just remembered a wonderful saying of "The Christophers". "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness."
posted by Joan Morris at 6:39 AM
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