Stay in the Light of Jesus - Family Reflection Video

Yesterday as I read today’s gospel, I remembered a phrase, something that a friend said to a group of us, that has stayed with me for all these years. 

We were sitting around talking, probably trying to solve the problems of the world, or at least in our small corner of the world, when the conversation was going in the wrong direction … that’s when one guy said, “Hey, stay in the light!” 

That’s pretty good advice coming from a guy in his early twenties, someone who, like St. John, understood how any of us can drift toward the twilight and even into the darkness of this world and our own interior life. 

We might begin a conversation, watch television, surf the web, or just go about our day with the best of intentions when something externally or even internally tempts us to go in the wrong direction mentally, physically, or spiritually. 

To lengthen my friend’s admonition, that’s when we need to stay in the light … of Jesus! 

For as the gospel reminds us, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” 

The gospel of John uses light and darkness to illustrate good and evil … what is of God and what is of the devil. And John refers to Jesus as the Light. Just as Jesus is called the Truth. 

By linking Jesus to the light and the truth, we’re reminded that when we stay close to Jesus each day, we’re able to see and understand the difference between right and wrong, even in complex situations. And, because Jesus is the Truth, we can avoid deception either from others or from ways that we might be tempted to deceive ourselves. 

When we stay close to Jesus, then His light shines in our hearts and minds, allowing us to see clearly the good in life and to choose it, even when we are tempted to compromise our beliefs which are rooted in natural and divine law. 

And, for the times we have drifted, the light of Jesus offers us a beacon of hope, a guide to return to living the life we were made to live. For each of us is made in the image of God, and through our baptism, we are temples of the Holy Spirit. 

That means no matter what we face or how far we’ve drifted, we’re made to live and stay in the light of Jesus. So, if you find yourself, your family, friends, or co-workers going in the wrong direction, give them the hope-filled message of today, to stay in the light…of Jesus! And you’ll never go wrong.

• Today’s readings

• Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live this morning during Mass at the Father Peyton Center. Please view the video on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to view.) 

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