Daily Gospel Reflection - Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang
Daily Gospel Reflection - Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest
and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs
September 20, 2021
Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest
and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs
Gospel: Lk 8:16-18
Jesus said to the crowd: “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
Source: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Bishop Robert Barron
Friends, today’s Gospel is the parable of the lamp, which, placed on a lampstand, gives light to all. Light obviously isn’t for itself. Rather, we see things by it. It illuminates things upon which it shines.
We are light by which people around us come to see what is worth seeing. By the very quality and integrity of our lives, we shed light, illumining what is beautiful and revealing what is ugly. The clear implication is that without vibrant Christians the world is a much worse place. Let me illustrate this principle with an example. One of the most painful truths of the last century is that the weakness of Christian witness allows some of the worst elements in society to flourish.
Think of the rise of the evil powers that created World War II. Christianity had become so weak, so uncompelling, so attenuated that great evil was allowed to flourish. Yes, indeed there were a handful of powerful Christian resisters, but let’s face it: the overwhelmingly vast majority of Christians either supported Hitler or remained in silence, out of either fear or indifference.
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