You are the light of the world

In India we celebrate a common festival: Deepawali, the festival of lights. Deepawali brings out the significance of the victory of good over evil; lights illuminate homes and hearts, brings new reason and hope. The light empowers us to commit ourselves to good deeds and brings us closer to divinity.
The Church held the view that the people of God as light of the world and salt of the earth. When Jesus said ‘you are the light of the world’, it is not in isolation that he said that. We can be light of the world only if we take part in the light of God himself. We believe that God is light. He takes away our darkness and draws us onto him. We do not carry around individual lights, independent of God, God’s light. We share, partake, and participate in the Light of God.
Today’s Gospel teaches us a dual lesson when we read that we are light to the world. The first lesson is that as light of the world, every Christian takes up the responsibility to cast of the works of darkness and live as children of the light. Thus, it is a personal call to holiness. Christians can become light only in the presence of God and only in the light of God ever shining in their hearts. We are called to shine.
The second lesson is that the Christians are given responsibility of the society. The way we shine is not only for our benefits, and the benefits of our family and friends, rather, it is for the larger gathering, larger reality. We are called to stand up against the forces of evil in our modern society. Standing up in the lampstand necessarily brings out the element of climbing our personal targets of holiness.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:12) Let us pray that we be the light of the world, sharing the light of God, and bring light to the dark areas of our lives and the lives of others. Amen.