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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.

Priest: One thing you can always find in Catholic churches is…..old
ladies. Here in the United States, and in many other
countries, old ladies are the strength and the hard workers of
many communities and churches. The same must have been
true in the time of Jesus. When Mary and Joseph took their
baby Jesus to the temple, one of the people they found there,
who touched them very much, was Anna. It would be good
to talk to her for a few minutes.
Priest: Good morning Anna. We’re happy to have you here.
Anna: Thank you. As the scripture says, I never tire of
being in the temple, worshipping, fasting, and telling people
about this holy child who brings salvation and deliverance to
all people.
Priest: Anna, has your life been difficult?
Anna: Yes, it has! I was married as a young girl to a fine young
man. We were poor, but we were so much in love, and
found such joy in our children. Then, after only 7 years of
marriage, my husband died. I was so grief stricken! I miss
him still. But that was just the beginning. In those days there was no
welfare or public assistance. In less than a year my children
and I were reduced from poor to beggars. It was so difficult
for me not to be able to buy the nice things for my children
that all the other kids had.
It wasn’t easy to raise the children with no father and no
income. But God helped me.
Priest: Yes, God must have helped you, Anna. Here you
are 84 years old. God has helped you through many troubles.
How did you ever survive so much?
Anna: The Bible gives the answer. It says I was always in the
temple, worshipping God and praying. I stayed close to God,
and God helped me. In my experience, old people either
become bitter with age, or wise. If we stay close to God, we
get wise.
Priest: Anna, I have a question. On the day Mary and Joseph and
the baby Jesus came to the temple, there must have been
priests, scribes, Pharisees and so many others present. How
is it that only you and old Simeon recognized Jesus as God? Anna: Suffering makes you either wise or bitter. If you are close to
God, your suffering makes you wise. My suffering taught
me to look deep into things, beneath appearances. There are
some things that only years can teach you, not books or
youth.
Priest: Anna, do you have any advice to give to the people in church
today?
Anna: Yes, I do! Stay close to God and close to church. We all
have to suffer at times. You will have to suffer too. But if
we stay close to God, your suffering will not make you bitter.
It will make you wise. Children, pay attention to the old
people. Very often they see and understand things you are
too young to see and understand. Old people, be patient with
the children. They are God’s gift to us, and our
responsibility.
And everyone. Don’t be alarmed when suffering comes.
God is always there to help you. Tell everyone about God’s
love.
May God bless you all!