Come be my Light
“You are the light of the world,” says our Lord (Mt. 5:14-16). Through the waters of baptism, we have become Christ-carriers to the world, bringing his light into the darkness of the world. The first person that comes to mind is St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. To her Jesus clearly said: “Come be my light”, in the darkness of Calcutta’s abandoned children and neglected elderly. Even though she was of small stature, St. Mother Teresa towered above the tallest person in the world. She was like the tallest city built upon the tallest mountain. Her light shone so brightly that no one could escape from the rays of goodness, kindness, gentleness, healing and love that came from her heart. “You are the light of the world!” It is the mission of Christianity and all of us Christians to bring the healing light of Jesus to the world around us. How does this happen?
This light shines whenever we give of ourselves to others. Our light takes away the darkness caused by their loneliness, sorrow, sadness, anxiety, poverty, insecurity, fears, sickness and all forms of deprivation. The most relevant question we ask ourselves is: how bright is the light of Christ within us? How does it shine in the darkness of people’s lives? Are we open to the light that others shine in our bad experiences or are we locked inside our own regrets and insecurities and shun away the light of Christ? “You are the light of the world”! We only have to look around us and see and experience the darkness in which people live, starting from our families. Then we realize the urgency of the mission of Jesus to all of us: “You go be my light in the world”! May we hearken to this urgent invitation and let our Lord lead us by hand to our brothers and sisters in need. The Lord says: “Share your food with the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, and do not turn away from your own kin. Then will your light break forth as the dawn and your healing come in a flash” (Isaiah 58: 7-8). That is our mission. May you be blessed as you hearken to this divine call. Amen
~Fr Cornelius Okeke