"Light makes things grow.''  

 

＊＊＊1st Reading＊＊＊

Ezra 1:1-6

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the Lord willed to fulfill the word he had said through the prophet Jeremiah.

So he moved the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, to issue the following command and send it out in writing to be read aloud everywhere in his kingdom:

"Thus speaks Cyrus, king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heavens, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth,

has ordered me to build him a temple in Jerusalem, in the land of Judah.

To everyone belonging to his people, may his God be with him! Let them go up to Jerusalem with the help of their God and,

there, build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; the God who is in Jerusalem.

In every place where the rest of the people of the Lord live,

let the people of those places help them for their journey with silver, gold and all kinds of goods and livestock.

Let them also give them voluntary offerings for the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem."

Then they rose up, the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin,

the priests and the Levites, and all those whose spirit God had stirred up, and they decided to go and build the house of the Lord.

And all their neighbors gave them all kinds of help: gold, silver, livestock and precious objects in great quantity, besides every kind of voluntary offering.

 

＊＊＊Gospel＊＊＊

Luke 8:16-18

No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a bowl or puts it under the bed;

rather, he puts it on a lamp stand, so that people coming in may see the light. In the same way, there is nothing hidden that shall not be uncovered;

nothing kept secret, that shall not be known clearly. Now, pay attention and listen well, for whoever produces, will be given more;

but from those who do not produce, even what they seem to have will be taken away from them."

 

＊＊＊Reflection＊＊＊

"Light makes things grow.''

Christ, the light has come into the world. His light reveals the truth of things, which cannot be hidden.

But he shines a light on our lives not to bring fear, but to bring healing, justice and love.

The light of Christ is a living flame of love, which burns brightly, so brightly that Saint Pio says that it dazzles us at first.

But we are to persevere so that we're able to stand in the light. We are dazzled because of our sins,

but we are purified so that we can dwell in his presence with confidence. The eyes of our soul are made fit to look at his light.

Saint Francis de Sales encourages us to draw near to the light that is Christ, our Sun, our Justice, our Sanctification,

so that we will be purified, enlightened, inflamed and made holy. "Go to Him without fear," he says.

Light makes things grow. Plants burst forth into life and bear fruit. Christ's words instruct us to turn to the light and to be fruitful.

Let's turn to Christ our Sun, and bear fruits of love.