Sunday, January 6, 2013

Monday after Epiphany, 07-01-13

1 John 3:22 - 4:6 / Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

It is not often that we who live in a urbanized society know what darkness is really about.

But if we go to the rural countryside, then we will know how inconvenient and troublesome and frightening darkness can be.

When I was a kid, I used to go up to Malaysia to my grandmother's farm in the countryside where there is no electricity and the means of lighting at night was at best the pressure lamp, but it would be usually the kerosene lamp.

I remembered that I hated it when nightfall came because the miserable kerosene lamps won't give much light, and so the house was frighteningly dark.

And at night I wouldn't want to go to the toilet because it is dark outside the house, and without good lighting, you just don't know what you are going to step on or fall into.

Hence it is only when we experienced the darkness of the night that we will truly long for the light.

In the gospel there was this profound quotation from the prophet Isaiah: The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death, a light has shown.

In Jesus we see the true light, and He is the light that the powers of darkness cannot overcome.

Jesus has also enlightened us and we are called to be prophets of the light and to be true prophets.

Hence whatever we do or say and whatever we think have to be tested in the light of Christ, because sin has contorted our thinking and our actions.

But when we let the light of Christ into our lives, His light will be reflected in our thoughts, words and actions.