First Reading: (2 Samuel 7:18–19, 24–29)
Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 132)
R. The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David.
Gospel: (Mark 4:21–25)
Reflection
Today mass readings reflect on Yesterday's, where Jesus taught us about the sower, the seed, and the soil, showing how fruitfulness depends on receptivity and faithful labor. Today, He continues His teaching using another powerful image: light.
The purpose of light is simple, to dispels darkness.
Therefore, it defeats the purpose of a lamp to place it under a bed or hide it beneath a basket.
Streetlights are raised high on poles; they are not buried underground.
Bulbs are placed above the ceiling, not hidden inside the roof.
A light that does not shine is useless.
Jesus uses this image to teach us a profound truth:
Christians are the light of the world.
How Christians Shine as Light
The light of the Christian shines through good deeds:
Where there is hatred, Christians shine by bringing love.
Where there is unforgiveness, Christians shine through forgiveness.
Where there is disunity, Christians shine by promoting unity and togetherness.
Where there is war and violence, Christians shine by being instruments of peace.
Where there is falsehood, Christians shine by speaking and living the truth.
This is how Christians become light in a dark world.
This is how our light shines.
Beloved, when you possess these qualities, whether you like it or not, you will stand out. People will notice. They will say:
“This person is truthful.”
“This person is honest.”
“This person loves peace.”
“This person lives forgiveness.”
In the same way, when these qualities are absent, people will also know that a person is living in darkness.
Where Is the Light?
If our Christian light is not seen,
if it is dim, or barely visible, or completely extinguished,
then something is wrong.
With billions of Christians in the world, one must ask:
Why does evil still ravage our societies?
Why does corruption still thrive?
Why does hatred still spread so easily?
Beloved, let us be honest:
Much of the darkness in the world is perpetrated by Christians themselves, or sustained by Christians who see evil and remain silent.
Cheating in markets, stealing, falsehood, bribery, embezzlement,
these are not done by pagans alone.
Christians are often involved, or they look away and become silent partners.
Jesus tells us:
“Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest.”
If our light truly shines, evil will be exposed.
Those who do evil will feel uncomfortable around us because light reveals darkness.
But when Christians compromise, when they blend into the darkness, evil flourishes unchecked.
Let Your Light Shine Everywhere
Beloved, let your light shine:
In your office
In the marketplace
On the roadside
On the bus or train
Even on the football field
Wherever you find yourself, let people say:
“This is a Christian.”
The Measure You Give
Jesus continues:
“The measure you give will be the measure you get.”
This is an invitation to generosity of heart.
When you give:
Give freely
Give wholeheartedly
Give without calculation
Thin sowing produces thin reaping.
Generous sowing produces abundant harvest.
There is a multiplier effect in generosity:
When you give your talents, they grow.
When you use your gifts, they multiply.
When you share your time and love, they return to you a hundredfold.
But when we are stingy,
when we refuse to use our talents,
even what we think we have begins to die.
That is why Jesus says:
“To him who has, more will be given;
and from him who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.”
We are the light of the world.
Our world is in darkness.
We cry when we see evil, corruption, and violence.
But the deeper question remains:
Where are the Christians?
What has happened to the light?
Let our light shine brightly,
so that it may dispel the darkness of evil,
expose injustice,
and bring glory to God.
Amen.
God bless you
Pal Ronnie
Inspired by Fr. Blessed 🙌
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