“You are the Light of the World”

Last Monday, we concluded the Christmas season with the beautiful feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Candlemas. The name, Candlemas, derives from the blessing of the candles which we will use throughout the coming year, symbolising Christ as the Light of the World, the light dispelling the darkness of sin.

Our readings today call us to shine our own light of faith out into the world. In Isaiah, we read that “your light shall break forth like the dawn” and “then shall your light rise in the darkness” which will be echoed in our Gospel, “You are the light of the world.” What light are Jesus and Isaiah referring to? The light of life that shows compassion for the poor and the needy, a life that is fully committed to justice, to fairness, equity and the alleviation of poverty. Many, many times throughout the Old Testament, the prophets tell the people of Israel that all God wants from them is practical justice, practical, not half-concern – share your food with those who have none, cloth those you see naked, hospitality to those who cannot repay you, care for the sick, the elderly, the widow and the orphan. In short, live with integrity.

In our Gospel, Jesus tells us that our good works are not shining out for the benefit of ourselves, so others may praise us, but instead they shine for the glory of God. Jesus leaves no room for our egos here. What we have is given to us by our Father in heaven, for his purposes and for him to use through our lives, in our words and actions. St Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians that it is through “the power of the Spirit” that he acts. It is a call to put aside our pride in our own knowledge, lay aside our ego once again, to use and to acknowledge the power of God to be what he calls us to be; “the Light of the World, giving light to others, so that they may see…. And give glory to the Father in Heaven”.

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This Year, Easter, Pascha, falls on 5^th April. In the Old Rite of Mass, today was known as ‘Sexagesima’ Sunday, one of three Sundays: Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima. They reminded us that Easter is only about 70, 60 and 50 days away and that the holy fast of Lent is coming up soon. It was a pastoral loss to have suppressed these three pre-Lent Sundays in 1970. Nowadays, Ash Wednesday takes us by surprise!

The Prayer over the Offerings for today’s Mass is a nice summary of Eucharistic theology, and could well form the basis for this Sunday’s Homily. Bread and wine are spoken of as part of the natural and necessary order of human being. But in the Divine dispensation they are given a new and eternal significance and value. Like the whole Creation, they are taken up from their earthly reality, sacramentally into the wonder of God’s new Creation in Christ.

For the General Intercessions:

That the light of Christ may illuminate the life of the Church

and the work of her members give glory to our heavenly Father.

God of Integrity,

you ask that what we preach

be also that which we perform.

Let your Holy Spirit make manifest among us

the power of Christ Crucified,

so that our words may season the world

with the taste of holy Wisdom,

and our deeds be true to that same justice

which you ask of those who worship you.

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These hymns have been chosen from various sources:

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Bread for the world, a world of hunger (CFE92, L625)

You are the salt for the earth (CFE821, L854, LHON749)

Longing for light, we wait in darkness (CFE891, L883,LHON439)

Awake, awake, fling off the night (CFE64, L851, LHON153)

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Key

CFE - Celebration Hymnal for Everyone

L – Laudate

LHON – Liturgical Hymns Old and New (Mayhew, 1999)

TCH – The Catholic Hymnbook (Gracewing)              

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