(Audio)
Therefore do not be afraid of them.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
It is a fact that one day the truth of the Gospel message will be revealed, and with it, the condition of each human heart called to respond to that message in proportion to the light it was given.
Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God (see First Corinthians 4:5).
This is meant to be good news. It is meant to be the vindication of our struggle for the Kingdom. And it will be, to the degree that the darkness is cast forth from our own hearts as we are transformed into the likeness of our master.
for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (see Ephesians 5:8)
To the degree that we ourselves remain in darkness and continue to walk in our old ways we will not be able to walk with the fearlessness that Jesus intends for us. We will be like the disciples on Holy Thursday night, scattered sheep fleeing into the darkness.
And it was night (see John 13:30).
We are not the source of our own light. We cannot escape the darkness on our own. Jesus is the light of the world, whose life is the light of mankind. It is his word that casts the darkness from our own hearts and from the world.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
The more the word of Jesus becomes internal to us, the more we make it our own by agreeing with it and speaking it, the more his light will overcome darkness and fear. From this we discover that it is better that even the unseemly and unredeemed places of our hearts are brought into this light sooner rather than later. In bringing our darkness to light the darkness itself is dissolved and loses its power over us.
What I say unto you while you are yet held under carnal fear, that speak ye in the confidence of truth, after ye shall be enlightened by the Holy Spirit;
(from the Glossa Ordinaria)It is the Spirit of Jesus who takes his word from something external to us and brings it into our hearts where it becomes a principle of power, hidden bread of strength. If we are still hiding away in the upper room, all too aware of the perils of the world around us, all too aware of the failings of our own hearts, it is this Spirit whom we need to invite to bring the light of Jesus within us, to implant anew his saving word.
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (see James 1:21).
This encounter with the Spirit, this saving word, is an experience much like that of the coal that touched the lips of Isaiah.
He touched my mouth with it and said,
“See, now that this has touched your lips,
your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.”
It is a transformation that unites the experiences of sacramental confession, Charismatic baptism in the Holy Spirit, and regular prayerful engagement with the word of God in one seamless reality. For us, who can usually only do one of these at a time, any of them can serve as a new entry point into the reality. They all help us to live as children of the light.
For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness (see First Thessalonians 5:5).
The darkness scares us. But the Father's eyes are upon us. If he even takes concern for the purely natural life of sparrows how great can be the confidence we have in his protection of our souls from the one who can destroy them in Gehenna? He knows us to the most minute detail, down to each hair of our head. Our faults do not surprise him. He is greater than our hearts (see First John 3:20). It is his love the casts out fear, and with it all darkness.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
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