7 June, Tuesday — Christ, be our light

Tuesday of Week 10 in Ordinary Time

1 Kgs 17:7-16
Mt 5:13-16

“No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house.” 

In the Gospel of St John, it says: ‘And the Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert.’ (Jn 3:13)

The image of a serpent being raised up, and the Israelites being humbled by God as they look up the serpent has been the predominant image when I look at Jesus on the cross. However, Jesus is also the light of the world, therefore it makes sense that the cross was the lamp-stand where Jesus is placed, so that his light can shine throughout the world.

This light that Jesus shines is the light of love and truth. It’s lifted up to make sure that this light can drive the darkness out of our hearts.

When we kneel in front of the crucifix, we can bask in the light of God’s love. We are enveloped by his warm love, his gentle love. His love is a love that is not blind, but a love that sees the whole of us, and still chooses to love us. His love is a love that is not blinding, but a love that let’s us see with clarity.

When we kneel in front of the crucifix, we can bask in the light of God’s truth. We learn about beauty and ugliness, about salvation and sin, about being a gift and sacrifice, about unending love. The more I gaze up at the crucifix, the more I reflect on God emptying himself for us. And because the crucifix is lifted up, what’s emptied flows freely down to me, to us.

Brothers and sisters, let us take today as an invitation for us to gaze at the crucifix and ask God to shine his light on us.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Stephanie Villa)

Prayer: Dear Lord, let your light shine upon me and my life.   

Thanksgiving: Thank you, Lord, for being the light that shines ever brightly.