Last month, Our Holy Father enegized millions of people during his visit to Canada, with his usual Bible quote "You are the Light of the World" Mt.5.14
Two thousand years back Jesus had a great crowd. He saw the crowd. He wanted to address them. But he had no platform to speak. So he climbed a hill "He went up the hill" Mt.5.1. Then he sat down. Jesus opened his mouth to speak. Thus he delivered the best of the best. The Sermon on the mount. Regardless of cast and creed, intelligent people appreciate this sermon that jesus delivered from the mount. When God opens His mouth, the best happens. The first thing that came out of his mouth was " Let there be" Gen. 1. 3. God said an amazing word. God said "let there be Light" Gen 1.3. It was light he created first. God is light. God identified himself with light. Jesus God said "I am the light of the World" John 8. 12. God did a marvelous thing. When God saw light, God appreciated light. "God was pleased with what he saw" Gen 1.4. Here God, the tottality of goodness, appreciated the goodness. I would say, light appreciated light. God appreciated His own goodness and for me that nothing short of Holinesss and or perfection. The next step in God's miracle of miracles was the act of separating the light from darrkness. God saw light and God separated light from darkness. God seperated goodness from evil. God sorted out. That was a herculine task for us but for God that was and is a simple process. The separation of goodness from evil makes a great difference in our lives. God didn�t stop by separating light from darkness. God named the light as "Day" Gen 1.5. God named darkness as "Night" Gen 1.5. Sorting out light from darkness in our lives is important and we need to name the light and darkness in our lives. We need to acknowledge darkness as it is and light as that is. We need to calim responsibility for the darkness and light in and around us, if we have a hand in messing up our lives. Recently an young wife by the name Gina ( fictitious name) came to me. She broke off from her husband and lives a seperated life. She removed the wedding ring and was ready for the unknown Gina was living in pain and denial. She came for an encounter with God. She wrestled with God. That was a difficult but a very friendly and fruitful encounter with God. " Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ" Eph 5.21, hit her like lightning. A new vision and a different perspective in life oriented her in the right direction. Gina realized that God is closer to her than she thought. She was searching for God. God appeared and yet she couldn�t see God because sin blocked the vision of God. At last Gina agreed to look differntly. She rubbed her eyes. She prayed. " Something like scales fell from" Acts. 9.18 her eyes</F! ONT>. God eanabled her to sort out light from darkness. She said " I am responsible for the Mess" and that was the salvation in her life. This young woman, Gina, who is in her early twenties, an young wife who was married to her young husband only for three years, went through light and darkness expeerience. "God put his laws in her heart" Hebr.10.16. Gina recognized light, the gift of God. She called her parents and asked them to send her wedding ring . Called her husband. Spoke with him. Acknowledged her participation in the mess. God shone on them. I am sure the " sacrifice of Jesus took away her sins" Hebr.9.23. She now shines as the "light in the world" Hebr 2. 12 Jesus calls each and everyone of us to sort out light from darkness, in our lives. Jesus wants to walk with us. Jesus tells us " You are the salt of the Earth" Mt 5.13. We are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We need to perform good things " so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in Heaven" Mt. 5.16. We are called to discipleship. We are called to be witnesses. Praise the Lord. Please keep the people who are in retreat at Singapore Fr Thomas Mathew/August 31st, 2002/ Singapore ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: Click Here **************************************************************** This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. To unsubscribe, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to this mailing list, visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet For automatic help, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ****************************************************************
