One of the most common images in literature, poetry, as well as the Bible is that of LIGHT! Possibly the most beautiful Liturgy every year is the Easter Vigil Mass, celebrated Saturday evening as the sun goes down. The Church is in utter silence; also the Church sleeps in deep darkness as the world at large anxiously awaits the key that even changed history–the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the tomb. Outside the Church the priest has a fire prepared which he blesses. From this blessed fire the priest lights the Paschal candle on which is inscribed Alpha and Omega–meaning that Jesus is the beginning and end of our life. Then he embeds five sharp little nails in the candle, calling to mind the five wounds that Jesus suffered on the cross Good Friday for our eternal salvation.
Meanwhile, waiting in the Church are the parishioners, all holding in their hands a small candle that has not been lighted yet. The Liturgy is packed with symbolism–external things representing a deeper spiritual reality or truth. Preceded by the servers, the priest enters the church with the Paschal candle elevated and cries out: “Christ is the Light of the world”, upon which the people respond: “Thanks be to God!” From the Paschal candle carried by the priest, an altar server lights his candle and shares the light with another. Then each person that has a lighted candle willingly gives the light to his brother or sister next to him. Within five minutes everybody in the Church is holding a small candle on fire. The darkness of night is being dissipated by the Paschal candle and many small candles. Jesus, the Light of the world came to cast out the darkness of sin, the dark plans of the devil, the darkness of death, and open the gates of Heaven so that those who love Him will go to heaven and live perpetually in eternal light.
Among the many titles for Jesus, a most prominent and important title of Jesus is THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. The opposite of light is darkness, symbolic of sin. An interesting contrast occurs at the Last Supper, the solemn night in which Jesus, the Light of the world, gives the very Gift of Himself in the institution of the most Holy Eucharist, as well as the gift of the priesthood. The contrast is the person of Judas Iscariot, who plans the betrayal of Jesus. After he eats from the dish that Jesus indicated, the devil enters into Judas, and leaving the Cenacle or Upper Room he enters into darkness. This dense darkness is symbolic of sin. When we commit a serious sin, a mortal sin, we leave Jesus, due to our own deliberate fault, and we enter into a dense darkness.
Jesus is the Light of the world, but He also stated: “You are the light of the world.” A light is not made to put under the bed or the bushel basket; rather it is made to be placed on the lamp stand so that all may see and be enlightened by it. An interesting Ecclesial note, the last time Saint Pope John Paul II went on World Youth Day (WYD) was in Toronto, Canada, and what was the central message of the Supreme Pontiff to the youth of the world? Maybe you have guessed it! “You are the Light of the world!” The Pope encouraged the young people to bring the Light of Christ to the world at large.
Given the utmost clarity of this message: Jesus is the Light of the world and we are called to be the Light of the world, taking our Light from Jesus the ultimate source of light, we should ask ourselves this poignant and practical question: how can I be a Light in the world? Analyzing my life, family, social contacts, work or studies, what are ways that I can start being a Light in the world to dispel and dissipate the darkness that envelops huge sections of the world? The Christopher Movement has a wonderful motto: “It is better to light one candle in the dark then to curse the darkness.” May we be among those who every day are lighting that candle, even if it be a small candle. Huge fires start with small sparks!
We will offer several ways that we can light that little candle in the midst of a dense and overwhelming darkness. Remember the words of Jesus, the Light of the world: “You are the Light of the world.”
1. PRAYER. If you are a man or woman of prayer and you are living in the state of sanctifying grace, then your very prayer life emanates light, even though it might not be seen visibly. Sincere prayer communicates to us the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is Fire and Light.
2. WORDS OF LIGHT. Sometimes we can sin by speaking when we should maintain silence. However, it could be the other extreme; when we should be speaking out expressing the truth or defending the truth, we are silent. The famous Political philosopher, Edmund Burke expressed it poignantly: “So that evil triumph it is sufficient that good men do nothing.” An opportune word or verbal intervention can have enormous weight. How many women have recourse to abortion because too many told them to have the abortion and too few encouraged them to say “Yes” to life???
3. DEEDS OF KINDNESS. Get to know the Corporal and Spiritual works of mercy. Read Mt 25: 31-46. Here you have a clear list of corporal works of mercy that you can carry out and thereby radiate light. Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, visiting both the sick and the imprisoned; all of these corporal works of mercy can be of your choosing. If you cannot carry all of them out, at least start by picking one of them.
3. WORDS OF KINDNESS. The tongue can do irreparable damage, as in slandering, maligning, calumniating, and even vicious gossip. On the other side of the coin, immense good can be done by positive, uplifting, encouraging words, words imbued with the unction of kindness. We encourage all our readers to purchase the book “KINDNESS”, by Father Lawrence Lovasik, Sophia Press. This spiritual gem outlines various ways that we can practice kindness. Saint Francis de Sales quipped this gem: “More flies can be caught by a spoonful of honey than a barrel of vinegar.” In other words, we draw people closer to Christ and cast more light in the darkness by kindness over bitterness. Souls are never won over by sarcasm, irony, cutting remarks, and inflated arrogance. Rather, souls are won over by imitating the sweetness and gentleness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “Come to me all… I am meek and humble of heart.”
4. A WARM AND KIND SMILE. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta insisted with her nuns that they bring the joy of Jesus to others. One of the surest signs that we are followers of Jesus is a radiating and joyful smile. Try it! Sadness indeed is a noxious spiritual air pollutant. But a smile is contagious too! Try it: Smile at someone and you will always get a smile back!
5. OPEN THE DOOR FOR AN ELDERLY PERSON. Jesus points out that those who are faithful in the small things will be faithful in the large. Some small gesture as simple as opening a door for an elderly person is definitely shedding light. Remember! “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do to me.” The door you open is for Jesus and who knows, He may open up the door of heaven for you because of this inconspicuous and apparently insignificant gesture as seen in the eyes of the world. For God highly values small actions done with great love!
6. LISTEN TO A PERSON WITH A BROKEN-HEART. We live in a frenetic, busy, at times impersonal world where often we do not have time for people and often they do not have time for us. If someone comes to you with an acute sorrow of suffering, a broken heart or spirit, and ardently desires to unload his/her problems, have the charity and kindness to listen attentively. You may not speak many words, but definitely listen attentively with your heart. This attentive listening is charity on your part and can lift this person from the brink of despair to renewed hope. Once again, you are casting light in a heart enveloped by darkness.
7. “I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!” These five words can be of immense help to somebody who is presently experiencing darkness, abandonment, isolation, anxieties and paralyzing fears. Knowing that someone cares for us and is actually lifting our problems and sufferings to God can undoubtedly be a source of ineffable consolation. Light radiates from these prayerful souls!
8. OFFERING A MASS OR MASSES. Of all the gifts and sources of light that we can offer, by far the greatest is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Going to the Parish office and having a Mass offered for somebody has immense value and can communicate a light that spreads to the four corners of the earth. Even though invisible and mystical, the power and extension of one Holy Sacrifice of the Mass can never be measured. Its value is infinite. Then give the Mass card to the person for whom the Mass is offered. Being remembered on the altar during the Holy sacrifice of the Mass in which Jesus is offered to God the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is the greatest action on earth. It indeed is the greatest miracle! Jesus in the Eucharist is the “Sun of God” that enlightens the world. Sunflowers die when they are not exposed to the sun; so we as fervent Catholics can easily wither and die the more we distance ourselves from Jesus the Light of the world present in the Mass, present in the most Holy Eucharist!
9. BE MERCIFUL AND FORGIVE IMMEDIATELY. Saint Peter once felt moved to ask the Lord how many times he should forgive, as many as seven? Jesus responded by saying not seven times but seventy times seven times. Using hyperbole, Jesus expresses the demands of mercy and forgiveness: it should be always! When you are hurt, wounded, maybe even crucified by someone you have one of two options: to become resentful or to practice mercy by forgiving. The renowned English poet challenges us with this maxim: “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” Jesus said to Saint Faustian Kowalska that His greatest attribute or virtue is His mercy. What is mercy? Nothing other than the infinite love of God forging the repentant sinner. The key to triumph over offenses against us is to practice mercy and to forgive immediately. The Word of God teaches us not to let the sun go down on our anger. Pope Francis in his jubilant and joyful style says to couples, “Let the plates fly in the day, but make up before retiring for the night.” Jesus give us a categorical imperative on mercy being a two-way street with these solemn words: “Be merciful as your Father is merciful.” Living out mercy is an explosion of light!
10. OUR LADY AND LIGHT. To Mary most holy, the Blessed Mother, Our Lady, are given many poetic titles, many taken from Sacred Scripture. Among these titles several refer to Our Lady and her relationship to light. Saint Bernard wrote the beautiful poem-prayer “Stella-Maris”–Mary is the Star of the Sea. As in times past when sailors were directed to the port by lifting their gaze to the stars above the sea, so we who are living in the midst of the sea, tossed and turned by the storms and tempests of life, must lift our gaze to STELLA MARIS–Mary the Star of the Sea. Despite the turbulent times and almost insurmountable obstacles, by her most powerful prayers she will direct and guide us safely to the port of salvation, which is our heavenly home. The Oblates of the Virgin Mary have a short Marian motto in Latin: “Maria cogito, Maria invoca”– that is to say: “Think about Mary and invoke Mary.”
In conclusion, Jesus is the Light of the world, but you also are called to be the Light of the world. In a spirit of prayer, read through this list of ten again right now and choose at least one to put into practice. If done, your light will already start to cast out and dispel the darkness. “Much better to light one candle then to curse the darkness.”
Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr. Ed teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.
