The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
I’m currently in the season it feels everyone around me is having babies. I have 14 nieces and nephews and counting, and four Godchildren. Co-workers are going on maternity left and right, and my parish’s Sunday Mass is filled with cries, dropped toys, and children’s singing voices. My sister has 10 of her own. When she first started having kids and we were having a phone conversation, I would get annoyed when there was a child crying in the background, or she had to pause our conversation to answer a question or reprimand a wild child. Now that I’m also maintaining a long distance relationship with my best friend, her baby’s coos through the phone are my favorite part of the conversation and I sometimes want to interrupt her just to talk to her children. I have come to see baby coos and children’s smiles light up the room and, in turn, the world.
The Holy Spirit has been flashing a neon sign at me throughout several of the Mass readings for the past 3 months, constantly reminding me of our call as Christians to “be the light.” In today’s reading, Paul writes to the Ephesians, “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” We are not the light in ourselves; Christ and His light shines through us when we allow Him to, to share Him with others.
Jesus also says in today’s Gospel, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” That is what we are called to do. As long as we are on earth, each day we wake up, we are given another opportunity to share the love and light of Christ we have received with others so they may come to know God as well.
It is so easy to see Christ’s light shine through children, in their smiles and giggles and coos, their joy and innocence and playfulness and sweetness. I pray we’re able to let Christ’s light shine through us to share with others. It might be smiling at the neighbor you pass on the sidewalk or inviting a co-worker to have lunch together and hear about their life. Or maybe it’s encouraging a mother whose kids were unruly during Mass. It might be listening to someone with different political views to seek understanding, rather than winning an argument. May God bring us each an opportunity to share His light this week.
Catherine Huss is the founder of the ethically made women’s swimwear brand Siena and Co., and currently serves as Technical Designer for Vuori in San Diego. Her favorite conversations combine Jesus and the modern experiences of fashion, relationships, and pop culture. Learn more about her endeavors at siena-co.com.
