I have been studying St. Catherine of Siena of late and upon that reflecting a simple saying came to mind to sum up what has been on my heart for awhile... .It is:
Lamenting the darkness won't turn on the light.
I kinda think that if Catherine were here right now, she'd say something like that. All around me in many different circles people are beginning to notice that the world is in a bit of trouble. Even secularists and agnostics are sensing that there "is something in the air." Everyone from the sky- is- falling preachers to the new age infomercial gurus are saying essentially the same thing...
we can't go on like this.
I agree with them. I do believe that people are waking from their slumber, prophets are finding their tongues, and the average joe and jane are getting mighty restless with the way the world is going. But what we are doing in response is simply never going to change the direction of our times.
We are kvetching and finger pointing; we are grumbling and giving in to the heaviness and negativity that comes from “looking through a glass darkly.” But the truth will always be that
Talking about the darkness won't make it go away. Instead we have to find the courage, tenacity, interior wisdom and spiritual maturity to BE THE LIGHT.
In fact, Catherine said “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire!"
She’s talking about you and she’s taking about me. Your world is the people that you encounter every day at work, at home or at school. How will you be the light in the darkness of jealousy, confusion, competition and mistrust? I ask these questions in earnest of myself first and then I share them with you.
Remember that complaining undermines virtue and love isn’t possible without sacrifice. In our world today, we are called to sacrifice something that we covet most of all… our COMFORT. Yes, just like the Pharisees we covet our station in life, our going along with the status quo and ‘under the radar’ type of existence. Yet, the safety of our numbers cannot save our souls.
We are called as followers of Christ to bring others with us to the light-filled gates of heaven. How will we do that when we are fumbling around and grumbling about the dark? We cannot.
This week I say to you and me:
Step up, Step out and be the Light this world can’t live without!