“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16
“How I wish I might deserve to have my lantern always burning at night in the temple of my Lord, to give light to all who enter the house of my God. Give me, I pray you, Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son and my God, that love that does not fail so that my lantern, burning within me and giving light to others, may always be lighted and never extinguished…
Give your light to my lantern, I beg you, my Jesus, so that by its light I may see that holy of holies which receives you as the eternal priest entering among the columns of your great temple. May I ever see you only, look on you, long for you; may I gaze with love on you alone, and have my lantern shining and burning always in your presence.”
Columbanus (540-615) in Instruction 12 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 663-664.
Are you giving light that is always “lighted and never extinguished” to those around you? Jesus wants our light to shine so people may see our good works and glorify the Father in heaven.
This reading by Columbanus touched me deeply because it reflects the life he lived. He pointed people to God by lighting the way. I thought to myself. That’s all I want to do too!
Notice that he wrote “give your light to my lantern.” He wanted to carry the light of life from God to others. To do that, he needed to spend time with Jesus.
We don’t often think about generosity in terms of giving light. To whom might you carry light, so they may gaze with love on God and connect with Him?
As I stated over the past few days, Jenni and I are attending two weddings in two states in three days. It’s a little crazy but fun to tell young people we love to let their light shine for Jesus as a couple with Him at the center.