Psalms 70, 71 * 74; Job 28:1-18; Acts 16:25-40; John 12:17-36aYesterday we heard Jesus say to Andrew and Philip: Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Today Jesus continues talking with Andrew and Philip saying While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light.
Part of the conversation between these two statements has Jesus saying he will be lifted up so that the whole world will be drawn to him. The whole world will be drawn to him, not come to him, but drawn to him. I find this a majestic image. His light is not extinguished when he is lifted up, rather that light is magnified. And we, Jesus' followers have Jesus by our side and are children of the light. That beatific light can and does shine through us, although certainly not at the same magnitude that it does from Jesus. That light beckons others to come beside Jesus, become children of this light and in turn emanate light out to the world to bring others, more, in next to Jesus.
We can all feel dark at times where we don't feel much like a lantern of hope, a beacon of love: but even in those times, we are. We only have to remember that Jesus is beside us, is always with us, and those shields we have placed on that light that is within us will once again burst forth. We all can be beacons of light to those who need to find a way out of darkness.
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Copyright 2008, John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.
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