Fourth Sunday of Lent
April 3, 2011
To see the readings, click here:
http://www.usccb.org/nab/040311.shtml
The gospel reading today is very meaty, and I'm sure most of us will hear or heard sermons on it. Since I don't feel I can do it justice, I am instead going to focus on the reading from Ephesians. In it, Paul tells us to "live as children of the light," and goes on to tell us what that means. He tells us to "produce every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth," and to "learn what is pleasing to the Lord." It is so uplifting and encouraging -- and it makes me WANT to live that way.
I love all this light imagery. Like so many people in our culture, I am profoundly affected by light and the lack thereof. I am secretly of the opinion that EVERYONE suffers from seasonal affective disorder -- where you get depressed and low energy when you don't see any sunlight. So I can totally relate to the idea that light produces goodness, righteousness and truth. And joy and peace, while we're at it.
Imagine: we have the power to live as children of the light. I think -- I hope -- that means we can bring a little of that righteousness and truth and peace, too. I think if we stop and think about it, we can all think of examples of people we have known in our lives who did just that. People who seem to shine with the light of Christ, who make everyone a little happier and a little more at peace by their presence.
And tying back into yesterday's lesson, those people are generally full of humility, too. Often they are unaware of the beneficial effect they have on everyone they touch. I doubt that is a coincidence. You know, you could almost get the impression the Church fathers knew what they were doing when they put together the lectionary!
Father in Heaven, thank you for bringing the Light into the world. Please touch each of us and help us to humble ourselves before you that we, too, might bring light to the world. Help us to live our lives in ways that always reflect the light of your glory. We praise you and thank you and give you all glory, now and forever. Amen
