Be The Light For Others
“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi
A “moldy oldie” song that has been sung for generations and most probably will continue to be sung through the ages is “This little light of mine.” What child does not like to sing that song? What adult does not put a smile on his or her face when hearing and/or singing that song? It explains one of the core responsibilities of living the faith: sharing the light of Christ with others.
We call Christ our light. We actually proclaim Him that at the Vigil Mass of Easter. After the Paschal Candle is lit and blessed, we bring it into the church and up the aisle, stopping to proclaim three times, “Christ, our Light!” The congregation responds, “Thanks be to God!” Easter songs include verses such as “The light of Christ has come into the world.” Light is a very visible image of the Vigil Mass.
Without belaboring the point, I simply would say that we live in a very dark world at the present time. It is filled with hatred and division and is turning more and more away from core Christian principles and practices. It is a world that is becoming ever darker as it rejects God.
Our world needs the light of Christ to shine into its darkness. All it takes is one light, one person, to make a difference. St. Francis, a great mystic, knew the power of Christian love. He knew that love was a light in a dark place. He reminded his followers of that when he stated, “A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.”
St Francis lived in simplicity and poverty. He did not have a lot. But, what he had, he shared. And he shared with such an intense love that people recognized Jesus in his words and actions. They recognized Jesus and they, in turn, became lights for others as well as they learned to share as Francis had.
We often think that it is impossible to change the world. We keep forgetting the simple fact: it only takes one person to make a difference. Be a single sunbeam in the world today. You can make more of a difference than you ever thought possible.
FAITH ACTION: Be the warm glow of love that somebody needs to experience today.