Friday, February 6, 2015

THE LORD IS MY LIGHT 
AND MY SALVATION 


INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4th Friday in Ordinary Time is, “The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation.”

FLASHLIGHT

My sister Mary told me a cute story. Her husband, Jerry, was a money counter along with 6 other retired guys at their parish church.

One Monday – after coming home from working on counting the collection money - he tells my sister the following. “Mary, you are not going to believe what the topic of conversation was amongst our guys this morning?” It was, “What kind of flashlight do you use for when you have to go to the bathroom all those times you get up during the night?"  

PSALM RESPONSE

Great story.... It fits in perfectly with today’s psalm response which we said, 5 times at least: “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”

A light saves our footsies from being hit and banged when getting up to go to the bathroom during the night.

We need lights to manage our lives through the dark.

Christ is the light of the world. We need his light to navigate through life – especially when we are in the dark.

TODAY’S READINGS

We can read today’s readings and find lights and insights on how to live life to the full.

Here are ten found in today’s 1st reading and today’s gospel.

The first light is hospitality. It's right there in today's first readings from Hebrews 13: 1-8.  Make  sure we practice hospitality. Hospitals heal. Hospitality means treating others sweetly. It’s doing the extra for others. Whoever we are, hospitality is the sprinkling of the extra on our guests – as well as making sure everyone has the  essentials to life. On a scale of 1 to 10, how am I as a host? Ten being the highest.

The second light is to treat prisoners well or those who feel that way – for example someone who has had a stroke or has to take care of a parent – or feels trapped in grand parenting as a baby sitter or is in a wheelchair. Listen – support - help – treat right those who are not being treated well.

The third light  - if you’re married, make your marriage and your marriage bed sacred – as sacred as the altar.

The fourth light – don’t let money blind you – or control your life.

The fifth light  - is being content.  It's not that easy, but if we learn contentment,  we’ll have an easier life – at home, in restaurants, stores, traffic and with weather, and health.

The sixth light is being with and seeing Christ in all this – in our lives.

The seventh light is stop bragging.

The eight light comes from today’s gospel: enough with the grudges that end up like a heavy back pack on our backs.

The ninth light – also from today’s gospel – don’t let young flesh – seduce our old eyes.

The tenth light learn to say, “I made a mistake. I can’t do what I promised.”


CONCLUSION

There they are 10 different lights to help you get through the dark.

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