Once upon a time there was a great biblical scholar who was also
noted for his great piety. He spent hours every day secluded in his room
studying the Scriptures, and praying and mediating. One day a holy man
visited the town in which the scholar lived. On hearing about it, the
scholar set out to look for him.
He looked first in the church, but did not find him there. Then he
looked in a local shrine, but he wasn’t there either. He looked in other
likely places, but failed to find him. Eventually he found him in the
marketplace with all the people.
The advice he got was simple and direct. Looking at him intently,
the holy man said, “It’s easy to be a sage, wise man and saint in your
room. You should go out into the marketplace, where people work,
play, laugh, cry, and try to be a saint there.”
We are not told whether or not the scholar had the courage to act
on that advice. This is exactly the advice Jesus is giving us in today’s
Gospel when he says, “You are the light in the World. No one lights a
lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on a lamp-stand where it shines for
everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the
sight of people, so that seeing your good works, they may give praise to
your Father in heaven.”
It is easy to let the light shine in the comfort and safety of one’s
room. But that can be a selfish thing, because it means we are keeping
the light to ourselves. It is not so easy to let the light shine in the rough
and tumble of the marketplace. But that is where it is most needed.
Let me close with this reflection and prayer…
The most important thing about each of us
is our capacity for goodness.
We can be a source of light.
We have hands that can care,
eyes that can see,
ears that can hear,
tongues that can speak,
feet that can walk,
and above all hearts that can love.
Unfortunately, through laziness, selfishness, lack of self worthy,
and cowardice, our light can be dimmed,
so that we become shadows of the people we could be.
Lord, help us to believe in our own goodness,
and to let the light of that goodness shine.
On seeing this light others may find their way,
and you will be glorified.
AMEN.
Tags: 2-5-2023