Children of Light

Bulletin Letter, Ordinary Sunday 33B

When I was growing up I always remember winter being my favorite season. I loved snow, sledding, hot chocolate. The cold still doesn’t bother me much. You can always wear more clothes or grab a blanket. One thing that has changed over the years, though, is how much I dislike these shorter days and lack of sunlight. Really makes me wonder at what it must have been like for people long ago when they couldn’t just flip a switch to have the whole room light up. We take a lot for granted. 

Plants depend on light, especially the sun’s rays, to provide food and energy to everything else that eats and makes use of them. Almost all energy on earth originates from the sun. In humans especially in areas farther from the equator, lack of sunlight in winter has even been linked to depression and seasonal affective disorder. Be sure to get plenty of vitamin D in these darker months. 

Much of our Catholic faith uses the analogy of light as well. Another name for baptism was the sacrament of illumination, when we receive the gift of faith, “a lamp to my feet, a light to my path,” helping us to walk without stumbling (Ps. 119:105). The Easter Vigil, in the holiest night of the year, begins with a blessing of fire, praise of the Paschal candle, and lighting candles throughout the church in honor of the dazzling light of Christ’s Resurrection. Scripture also talks about living in the light, knowing that all our actions are seen by God. Sins and crimes are most often carried out under cover of darkness and secrecy. 

Jesus is the Sun that never sets. As the days grow shorter and darker, all the more need for us to turn more fervently to Christ our Light, “the Sun of righteousness, with healing in His wings” (Mal. 4:2). Do not be found among those who “loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil” (Jn. 3:19). The world today is all too full of darkness without Catholics and Christians adding to it. Instead, we are to be light to the world, salt of the earth, a city set on a hill (Cf. Mt. 5:13-14). “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5:8-9). As Christ is Light for us, so we must be light for the world.