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.
We should be ready to shine. We should not refuse the good to anyone who has a claim on us. We should not say "Come back tomorrow" when we can do it now. The LORD has prepared us for each good work which he himself prepared in advance for us to do (see Ephesians 2:10).
Our neighbors who come to us for help should find the darkness immediately illuminated. But more often, they have to stumble around looking for the switch in order to find any help. There is the risk when we shine that somethings which were concealed by the darkness may come to light. Honesty and deep soul searching in the Church are realizing this on a large scale. But it is true at every scale. Nevertheless, we must not fear. It is better to get these things out and exposed to the light where healing can begin. We need not be afraid to shine.
Without the light we receive from Jesus we really don't have anything that lasts. We need to share this light with all who experience, in ways large in small, the darkness of this world. We need more of it ourselves.
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.
The light which Jesus himself actually is, shining in the darkness, and which he gives to us as the light of our life (see John 1:1-4), guides us away from evil and toward peace, away from the company of the lawless and the perverse, and toward friendship with the upright. It leads us away from arrogance and pride and makes us humble. For when we are humble we become transparent to the light of Jesus shining through us.
When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern,
but to the humble he shows kindness.
Only the humble are able to respond so quickly when asked for the light because they add nothing and hold back nothing from what is asked of them. It is these, and not the arrogant, who find the way to God and dwell close to him as his friends.
The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
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