Light is good from whatever lamp it shines

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” - St Francis of Assisi

Gospel text (Mk 4,21-25):
Jesus said to his disciples,
"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 this Gospel passage I am struck by the image of light. We all have a light within us and this light is a gift from God. Let me try to illustrate this point with an allegory.

Often you see the small and big wires, new and old, cheap and expensive, lined up. Unless and until the current passes through them there will be no light. The wire is you and me. The current is God. We have the power to let the current pass through us, use us, and produce the Light of the World - Jesus; or refuse to be used and allow darkness to spread. Our Lady was the most wonderful wire. She allowed God to fill her to the brim, so by her surrender - 'Be it done to me according to thy word' - she became full of grace; and naturally the moment she was filled by this current, the grace of God, she went in haste to Elizabeth's house to connect the wire, John, to the current, Jesus.

Can you imagine someone placing a lit candle under the bed? Of course you can’t! Let us be challenged then to let our lights shine for all to see and help all those we encounter find their light.