Today is April 7, Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent.
At today’s Mass, we hear: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12).
Christians see things differently. We know a reality in which God is real and has a personal relationship with each one of us. In this world, we believe that there are things we can see, such as mountains and cities, and things that we cannot see, like angels and our souls. Further, within this world created by God, we know that God is at work converting hearts, destroying the forces of evil and even changing bread and wine into flesh and blood.
Living in the world as a Christian is a near-mythical experience. While most people in our world limit their experience of reality to what they can sense, we see things differently as Christians. While many live according to their own perceptions of reality, the light of Christ has enlightened our minds and opened our eyes. We no longer walk in darkness, stumbling about seeking meaning and purpose in the world, but finally see the world aright.
Living in the light of Christ’s truth
Christians see things differently because Jesus Christ, the light of the world, has shown us reality for what it is. The meaning of our lives and the world around us can only be understood in relation to the One who made us. Jesus Christ, the Word through whom all things were made, breaks into his creation and heals our sinful blindness.
In Lent, as we continue in the desert, we pray that Jesus will continue to increase the brilliance of his presence and truth in our minds. We ask that he will show us reality for what it is, that we can come out of the darkness of error and sin and live in the light of his truth.
Let us pray,
O God, by whose wondrous grace we are enriched with every blessing, grant us so to pass from former ways to newness of life, that we may be made ready for the glory of the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
