Light Is So Powerful

I remember listening to a gentleman who had gone to a conference. The conference was in a stadium. At one point, all of the lights were turned off. 

The entire stadium was pitch black. Pitch black right until the point where the gentleman on the stage lit a match. A match that could be seen by everyone in the stadium. Seen by the folks on the main floor. Seen by those up in the rafter seats. The light penetrated the complete darkness. One small light viewed by thousands of others who just minutes ago were consumed by darkness. 

Jesus is the Light of the world. We are called to be filled by His Light. We are called to be vessels of light . . . to radiate His Light in a sometimes dark world.

In todays Gospel (John 8:12-20), Jesus talks about the importance of His Light coming through us to the rest of the world:

Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  So the Pharisees said to him, “You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me.” So they said to him, “Where is your father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

In Anne a lay apostle’s book Climbing the Mountain, she describes how Jesus can use His dedicated apostles to change the hearts of those in darkness:

“Jesus works steadily through us all day. His light and love shine to other souls through our actions and words and also in what we do not do and do not say. At the same time as this is happening, Jesus is working on our personal movement up the mountain. He uses each situation, each person, to move us a little further on. So He is working in two ways. He is working in the world, through His ownership of His apostles, both body and soul, and He is working in the soul, through our welcoming of His direction and tutelage. We, the committed apostles, are comfortable with this process because we know that the best plan for us, both in terms of our time on earth and in terms of our time in eternity, is the plan that Jesus has willed.” 

Lay apostles, have you ever been in a crowd or place where one person influences everyone else present? Our Lord asks us to bring His Light with us wherever we go, because we may be that one person with a match.

Thank you, Lord, for filling me with more and more of Your Light as I look to advance up the mountain of holiness a little bit further each day.

In humility and gratitude,

Jay