“Is not this the fast that I
have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy
burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every
yoke? Is it not to
deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are
cast out to thy house?
when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide
not thyself from thine own flesh?”
(Isaiah 58: 6, 7)
Faith is not a private matter.
Isaiah teaches us that real faith is rooted in human action – that
it engages the world through our ministry to the oppressed, the sick,
the homeless, the bereft. As Christians, all too often we are
reminded of the times when the Church has given scandal to the world;
but are we sufficiently aware of the LIGHT that it brings into the
world – our clinics in Africa, the pastoral work we do in the inner
city, our care for the unborn, schools in developing countries, the
bright genius light of Christian scientists and artists and thinkers
or the radiant glow of the saints?
Each member of our Anglican
community is a source of light. Our light shines when we act or react
to life in a way that models the example of Jesus Christ. Jesus said
that he is"The light of the world."(John 8:12) His
life contrasted sharply with the lives of the Pharisees and the other
community leaders. The things Jesus said and the things he did were
in stark contrast to the acts of others and his light shone brightly.
As a result, the people could easily see a difference between him and
the others. They could see it in Jesus' acts and they could hear it
in his words.
Can people see Christ's light in
us? Are we stingy with Jesus' light? We're so easily mistaken to
think that our Christian faith, like mundane light, is some kind of
finite natural resource that is nonrenewable. We think we have to
hoard it, store it, bury it – but it's NOT nonrenewable. Our faith
becomes more real as it is expended. It's an infinite
supernatural resource!
“Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
During the upcoming Lenten season
we must ask ourselves, Do we want to be a light? Do we know our
vocational calling? And if we know it, do we have the courage to
commit ourselves to it? The philosopher Karl Rahner said, we humans
really exist only when we give ourselves away in faith, in hope, and
in love. Those are eternally renewable resources because they're at
the very heart of God. They are what makes us most human and
most godly.
Father in Heaven, send your
Spirit upon us and renew our hearts, minds and spirits this Lent. In
the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
