Homily: Monday of the 25th Week in OT - "Lumen Fidei - The Light of Faith"

In the Gospel, Jesus stresses the importance of allowing the light he gives us to shine forth for others to see.

The idea that God’s word light is found throughout Scripture.  Psalm 119 says, “God’s word is a lamp to our feet and a light to my path.”  His word, his wisdom helps to avoid the dangerous things in the darkness and shows us the path that leads to happiness, joy, fulfillment, freedom, understanding, and life.

Light, pushes back the darkness see we can see.  I began the school year reflecting with the kids on the image of the light from a light house shining on rocks to guide a ship into safe harbor.  As young children, many of us had night lights in our room.  There’s something very comforting about a little light shining in the darkness.

Pope Francis’ first encyclical back in June of 2013 was called Lumen Fidei, on the light of Faith.  Its opening line, “The light of Faith: this is how the Church’s tradition speaks of the great gift brought by Jesus.” 

The light of faith helps us through its moral aspect, to avoid sin and to walk the path of righteousness.  But also, by the light of Faith we come to know about God and we come to know about ourselves. 

The light of human reason is good: it is created by God to help us live well.  But there are certain mysteries that the light of reason cannot pierce.  It cannot answer “why God made us?”  Because of the light of faith, every child in Catholic school used to know, “God made us to know, love, and serve Him in this life, so that we can be happy with him in the next.”  Human reason alone cannot answer “what happens beyond the veil of death.”  The light of faith pierces that great mystery.

The Pope writes, “The light of faith is unique, since it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence.”  There is so much unhappiness and confusion in the world in matters of justice and commerce and politics and human relationships because modernity treats the light of faith as a false light.  Modernity calls light “darkness” and darkness “light.”  Therefore, as the Pope writes “There is an urgent need,” “to see once again that faith is a light, for once the flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin to dim.” 

“An urgent need” he says, like Jesus, to not hide the light of faith under a bushel, but magnify the light through our Christian service, through evangelization, through living by faith openly in the public arena. 

May we walk always as children of light, and bear the light of faith for all to see, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.