Leaving a light on
All three of my children have been afraid of the dark at some point in their early lives. As such, night lights are all around our house. For the kids, night lights ward off monsters under the bed. For me, night lights help me avoid stumbling over LEGO pieces strewn all over the floor. No matter where you go, a night light is on somewhere in our house.
God the Father also leaves night lights on for us in the form of the commandments. These night lights are meant to help us clearly see the path that leads us closer to God. Today’s first reading from Isaiah spells this out for us: I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go. And the responsorial psalm promises, Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
It seems so simple. Follow the path God has laid out and have life everlasting. Easy, right? Wrong. If we embrace Advent as the penitential liturgical season it is, some inward soul-searching will take place, and we can become aware of how far we’ve strayed from the illuminated path. Still, God does not forsake us. Instead, God sent His Son, Jesus, to be the light of the world.
Similarly, each of us who work in social action ministries are called to be night lights for the people we serve. The needs are great, and it’s tempting to succumb to the fear of darkness. And yet, like St. Lucy, whose name means “light” and who we celebrate today, we are inspired to shine the light that was given to us at baptism, so we can radiate God’s light into the world.
Jesus entered the world at a particularly dark moment in history to remind us that God is always with us, even when we are surrounded by darkness. As we prepare ourselves during this Advent season, take a moment to thank God for the night lights in your life and ask yourself: “How am I radiating God’s love and light in my ministry?”
Catherine Zirngibl is the program coordinator for the National Association of Catholic Social Action and Mission (formerly known as the Roundtable). She serves on the Catholic Charities USA Parish Social Ministry Leadership Team and is also the Pastoral Associate at Lumen Christi Parish in Mequon, WI.