Shine your light for everyone to see
Introduction
Proverbs is a wisdom book usually ascribed to Solomon. Wisdom is a set of experiences and traditions taught to the young; it secularizes the prevalent “sacralization” of human thought, showing that God and the human person are not at loggerheads. God does not keep people from thinking and reflecting for themselves.
Christ speaks of the word of God as a light that cannot remain hidden; it should shine in the lives of those who believe in the gospel, so that they can bear witness to Christ and his message.
1 Reading Proverbs 3:27-34
Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim when it is in your power to do it for him. Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once.
Plot no evil against your neighbor, against one who lives at peace with you. Quarrel not with a man without cause, with one who has done you no harm.
Envy not the lawless man and choose none of his ways: To the LORD the perverse one is an abomination, but with the upright is his friendship.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses; When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern, but to the humble he shows kindness.
Responsorial Psalm 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5
R. (1) The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Alleluia Matthew 5:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Luke 8:16-18
Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
Commentary
Jesus’s listeners would have laughed at the imagery Jesus used: it is utterly dark in the house, but someone lights a lamp only to cover it with a bowl or place it under the bed! Of course, no one in the right frame of mind would do it. However, Jesus warns us that in our spiritual life, we do such silly things—we do not listen carefully to the Word of God which is a “lamp to our feet” (Psalm 119:105), but cover it up, effectively blocking its life-giving energy from affecting us. Just as Mary listened to God’s word, and conceived it in her womb and brought forth, we must listen to the word and expose our whole being to it so that it produces fruit abundantly. St. James teaches us about how to listen correctly: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” (James 1:22-24)
Blessing
To bear witness consists in calling attention not to ourselves but to God and what he can do in us, poor instruments. We can only propose what we believe and live and then leave the rest to God’s grace. May God give you this attitude and bless you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!