The light must be seen and it must glow in the dark

Good morning, happy Thursday and many blessings.

In today’s Gospel (Mark 4:21-25) Jesus confront us with two truths. The first one is the lamp which gives light. At that time, there was no electric light. Imagine all that follows. The family is at home. It begins to get dark. The father or the mother lifts up the small lamp, lights it and places it under the tub or under the bed. What will the others say? They will began to scream, “Father (or Mother) place it on the table!” This is the story that Jesus tells. He does not explain. He only says, “Anyone who has ears to listen, should listen!” The Word of God is the lamp which should be lit in the darkness of the night. If it remains hidden in the closed book of the bible, it is like a small lamp under the tub. When it is united to the life in community, there it is placed on the table and it gives light!

And the second truth is that we need to be attentive to preconceptions. Jesus asks the disciples to become aware of the preconceptions with which they listen to the teaching He offers. We should be attentive to the ideas which we have when we look at Jesus! If the lenses over the eyes are green, everything seems to be green. If they are blue, everything will be blue! If the idea with which we look at Jesus is mistaken, everything which I think about Jesus will be subject to error. If I think that the Messiah has to be a glorious king, I will understand nothing of what the Lord teaches, and I will conclude that everything is mistaken.

These two truths confront us with a very important question: are we sharing what we’ve been given? Jesus says He wants you to be glowing and showing.  The key to understanding Jesus’ parables is that they all relate in a strategic way to the Kingdom of God–God’s rule in your heart by how you live and what you say.  All those who understand the Gospel enough to embrace it also know enough of the Gospel to show it and share it.

God’s true children are meant to shine like a lamp.  The lamp of the New Testament era was a very small clay bowl, pinched on one end to form a spout to hold a wick–but the bowl itself contained a few ounces of oil that served as fuel.  A lampstand in common homes was simply a shelf protruding from the wall.  In wealthier homes, the lamp stand might be an ornate stand made of metal, which could stand alone and be movable.

A lamp would offer light from a one-inch flame–not much light.  But, when you have no light, then a lamp can dispel the darkness.  If you’ve ever been in complete darkness, you know how wonderful a little light can be.  The Pharisees were hiding the light of the truth under elaborate loads of human traditions and hypocritical actions, and as a result, the people of Israel were suffering in spiritual darkness.  The leaders gave no spiritual light in word or deed at all.  So, Jesus tells His disciples they must not hide the light.  God’s Word, God’s Son, and God’s Gospel must shine forth again in all its light, in order to be a blessing to a people lost in the dark.

Lights are designed for illumination.  Just as a city can’t be hidden, neither can a believer be hidden.  We are to be visible and to shine.  Therefore, Jesus presses home a second illustration on the purpose of light.  Light is visible, obvious and understood.  If you received the seed, you would also sow it, and secondly as a lamp, yours is to shine, spread, be radiant.  That is more than just being nice and sharing a smile. In other words, a light is to be seen and a light is to shine in the darkness.

Blessings,

Fr. Luis+