Is.58:6-10; 1 Cor. 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16
Dear
brothers and Sisters,
"Let
your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give
glory to your Father in heaven." This is the message that
Jesus gives us today. Today's First Reading from the Book of Isaiah
supplements the message of the Gospel Reading. Over and above
being commanded to let our light shine before others, the Lord God tells us through the prophet Isaiah that our actions will determine our glory or darkness.
being commanded to let our light shine before others, the Lord God tells us through the prophet Isaiah that our actions will determine our glory or darkness.
Back in
2009, floods ravaged the Philippines. It was at around this time that
eighteen-year-old Muelmar Magallanes decided that if nature was going to try
and kill people, then it needed to go through him, first.
When he
noticed the rising flood waters, Muelmar tied a string to his waist and rescued
his entire family, then his neighbours, and then his other neighbours too—because
Muelmar really had it in for the Grim Reaper that day. But it was Muelmar's
last rescue attempt that finally defeated him, already exhausted after rescuing
as many as two dozen people.
It's
reported that Muelmar saw a young mother and her baby being dragged by the
current. With no regard for the danger he was placing himself in, and perhaps
with a lot of regard for his potentially badass tombstone epitaph, Muelmar
leaped once more into the water to rescue the mother and child before finally
succumbing to the current.
Although
many stories have emerged of individuals sacrificing their lives for others,
there are very few in the history books about whole villages selflessly risking
their own lives. Yet this is exactly what happened when the village of Eyam in
Derbyshire, England, was subjected to the bubonic plague. The disease was
carried into the village on a bale of damp cloth. It carried fleas from London,
which was struggling with the Black Death.
Forty-two
villagers passed away from the pestilence, which made its way across the small
community between September and December 1665. Unsurprisingly, many people
wanted to flee the village by spring 1666.
However,
to prevent the Black Death from traveling to nearby towns, such as
Bakewell and Sheffield, William Mompesson, the new rector, attempted to
convince the locals to remain in the village to quarantine the plague. The
villagers agreed to his request and remained in Eyam.
In little
more than a year, 260 people passed away from the plague to ensure that their neighbours
didn't suffer the same fate.
These great acts of individuals and community shine like beacons of
light in every century inspiring and giving hope that the world still upholds
values. And Jesus wants his followers to be counted among them.
We are
bound to do in life what light does in nature. Firstly, light shows the
way to the people. In darkness we miss even a path which we have trodden a many
times. Secondly, light helps us to see the beauty and the true value of
things. And, thirdly, light makes things grow. Brotherly love will help the
light of Christ to grow brighter within the heart of a Christian and
around him.
It is
said of Fenelon, the great Christian of ages past, his communion with God was
such that his face shown. Lord Peterborough, a skeptic, was once compelled to
spend a night with him in an inn. In the morning, he hurried away saying,
"If I spend another night with that man, I'll be a Christian in spite of
myself." Fenelon's manner, his voice, and his face reflected so perfectly
the glory of Christ, that he was irresistibly attractive to even the worldliest
and vilest of humanity."
God wants
us to show the people the true meaning of life and way to God. So as true Christians
we ought to keep ourselves away from corruption of sin and help
people to find joy in life.
Satish