The gospel calls us to live in light and truth, no matter what the cost.

 
Reading: No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. Luke 8:16.
 
Good morning Happy Monday, and many blessings my dear family.
 
Today’s Gospel (Luke 8:16-18) is very short; it is just a few verses. In this Gospel, Jesus is instructing his disciples that the purpose of the light is to illuminate the room in which it is placed. Thus, the lamp should be well placed so that the entire space is illuminated.
 
Then Jesus shifts his direction. He says that nothing will be hidden, and everything will be visible. As he continues, he says that all will be revealed: all secrets will be revealed and become known by others. Those words are intimidating to me! Personally, I don’t want my life laid out for everyone to see! Would you? Most of my life is pretty normal. However, I still would not want everything about me revealed! If others did know everything about me, they might judge me or think of me differently.
 
Jesus wants his followers to let their light shine so that it can be seen by others. This is not putting on an act. It is living according to the lights we have received. At times this can be challenging. Being laughed at and sometimes being physically persecuted for acting upon our sincerely held beliefs, requires divine help. Jesus, however, has promised to be with us and give us his unfailing help to the end of time.
 
The lamp is lit for a purpose; the light it gives shows it at its fullest potential. When loving others we express our love of God. Our acts of kindness, thoughtfulness or thanks are ways in which we can be lamps that are lit.
 
Jesus asks me to pay attention to how I listen, to notice how I notice. If my prayer is full of distraction or if my mind is always racing, I need to do as Jesus asks and pay attention. If I see only deficiency, I will lose everything; if I am able to recognize, appreciate and receive blessing, I can trust in God’s goodness and love.
 
I don’t think Jesus expects us to take these words literally. Perhaps these words are an invitation to us. He may simply be inviting us to pause and ask ourselves: Is there some area in my life that I truly would like to change? Is there something I want to stop doing? This week may we take the time to ponder Jesus’s words and ask: what is Jesus inviting us to do?
 
But also, each of the sayings here concerns the role of the disciple. There can be no anonymous discipleship. The gospel calls us to live in light and truth, no matter what the cost. ‘Secret discipleship is a contradiction in terms, for either the secrecy kills the discipleship, or the discipleship kills the secrecy.’
 
Blessings,
 
Luis+