THE WORD
2 Sm 7,18-19.24-29 / Mk 4, 21-25
Jesus said to [the crowd], “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? 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 OTHER WORDS
Today we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas, the greatest philosopher-theologian of Christendom, considered the “Angelic Doctor” and the author of Summa Theologiae—the most celebrated philosophical/theological treatise of Christians.
An anecdote goes that St. Thomas, one day, was given a very fleeting vision of heaven. In one blinding ash of light, he saw a glimpse of it. He was stunned and speechless. Nothing he ever wrote or imagined about the nature of the Supreme Being, the angels, the human soul, and the afterlife came close to the ineff able beauty of what he briefly glanced in a nanosecond. From then on, St. Thomas stopped writing, and grew very thoughtful.
One analogy I like most by St. Thomas, originating from St. Augustine of Hippo, is the comparison between light and darkness. He said that darkness is nothing but the absence (privation) of light, just as evil is nothing but the absence of good. When Jesus suggests that a lamp is meant to be put on a lamp stand, he seems to say that we should let our good works “shine” like a lamp light
being the metaphor of good.
After the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples that they are the “lights” of the world. Jesus refers to himself as the “Light of the world.” Since we belong to Jesus who is the “Light of the world,” we are committed to light the world with our good words and deeds. Good words/deeds are done under the light; while evil deeds like adultery, cheating, theft, murder, etc. are done under the cover of darkness.
So let your light (goodness) shine (to shine is the nature of light): the light of charity, compassion,
caring, sincerity, and love.
- Fr. Raymun J. Festin, SVD | CKMS, Quezon City
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience. The Word in other words 2016
