Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Anyone who has ears ought to hear.”

 

Gospel Reading: Mark 4:21-25

 

Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lamp stand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible;  nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us the story of the lamp. The lamp symbolizes the Word of God. He challenges us by asking us what do we do with the lamp. The lamp provides light so we can see through the darkness. The light illuminates the pathway and allows us to avoid trouble and find our way to the true home of salvation. More importantly, the light can be shared with others.  When we are given the lamp, do we shield it from others or do we set it out for all to see? Not only does the light provide us safety and security, it is there to provide safety for others. Jesus tells us, “For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.” If we place a bucket over the light, it will still be visible around the rim. It is impossible to fully contain the light and not let it shine. Jesus is calling us to proclaim the word, not hide it. No matter how much we try to avoid it, it will get out. Eventually the light of Christ will fully illuminate all of the world. The question is “Will we like what the light reveals?”

 

The Gospel reading goes on to say that the Word of God is a treasure. He who hears the Word of God will be given more grace and will yield more fruit. But he who does not listen, will become more and more impoverished. Without the fruits of the Word, how will you feed yourself? I think we are weakest when we push Christ out of our life. Our spiritual life suffers and so does our personal life. When we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, it radiates from us. If we pollute our bodies with material possessions and unrighteous acts and thoughts, we diminish the gift of grace given to us by God. Christ tells us, “from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” If we chose evil, our lives become disruptive and destructive. Evil is like cancer to our soul. It disorders the body. Fortunately, there is a cure; prayer, fasting and almsgiving. While we normally think of these as the three pillars of Lent, they should be a part of our everyday life. Through prayer, fasting and almsgiving, our lives become more ordered and more focused on Christ. The more we practice these three things, the more grace that is poured into our lives and more ordered we become. We become enriched with the spirit of God. We become more like what God intended us to be. We become more like the image and likeness of God.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord God, you are the light of the world.

You make all things visible through your love and compassion.

May I become a beacon of your light to lead others to your table.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon