When he was at table with them, he took the bread. He blessed the bread, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him!(Luke 24:13-35)

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Let the Light shine forth!


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Prayer for the Day

Dear Jesus, Father Peyton devoted his priestly life to strengthening the families of the world by calling them to pray together every day, especially the Rosary. His message is as important for us now as it was during his life on earth. We beg You, therefore, to hasten the day of his beatification so that Your faithful people everywhere will remember His message that “the family that prays together stays together”, will imitate him in his devotion to Your Mother and ours, and will be inspired by his holy life to draw ever closer to You with childlike confidence and love. Amen

Reflection

Light is a powerful image of how we are to live our faith.  God gives each of us a charism which has the potential to bring light to the world.  Jesus reminds us that we are expected to put our faith into practice (Luke 8: 16-18) and we do this by using our God-given gifts, talents and charism.   We are the igniters of our lights and they only begin to shine when we answer the call from the community and/or God.   We grow and discover new gifts throughout our lifetimes.  

If we imagine joining our light with the light of others, and the world is flooded with generous, grace-filled goodness, the power is almost incomprehensible.  “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather… places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.”  (Luke 8:16)

If we are not igniting the fire of our light, then our charism may fade and the light may start to flicker; even be extinguished.   Jesus emphasizes this when he says:  “To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what they seem to have will be taken away.” (Luke 8:18)

We have a wonderful opportunity to show the world our light this coming October 15th.  I plan to attend the Rosary Rally in San Francisco on that day, and if it is His Will my family will be able to attend as well.  I’m excited about it!  I’m hopeful that through God’s grace there will be a huge turnout to pray the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ through the intercession of His Blessed Mother.  We’ll turn thousands of individual lights into beacons for the world to see that Christ is still very much with us and in control, despite our best efforts to conceal His light “under the bed” of sin. 

This is an excellent way to allow people to see and experience the light of Christ in every one of us; to show that even when we’re tired, inconvenienced or self-conscious, we are willing to use our charisms and live as a children of God for and with others! 

May the world be encircled by the radiance of our collective response!

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