In Matthew 5:14 Jesus says, “You are the light of the world.” Right on, but sometimes we feel that we are not too bright [turn on lamp with a low-voltage bulb] I mean that literally and symbolically. And sometimes it feels that there is NO light at all within us [replace the light bulb with one not working at all].
In the gospel, Jesus says that he is the vine, and we are the branches. That is, the branch needs the vine to live. Like this bulb [hold up a light bulb], which needs something to be connected to. [I replace the burned-out bulb with a 3-voltage bulb and turn it on to the lowest setting]. It’s like Jesus being the source for us to be attached to, so that light can shine.
Sometimes that light is really bright, and sometimes it is really low. For example, when we do some bone-head thing. Like for me, earlier this spring. At a stop sign, I pulled my car up to the right side of a semi-truck. The semi didn’t have its blinker on, so I assumed it was going straight. It wasn’t, it turned right . . . that is right into me, and as I was scrambling to put my car in reverse to escape, it clipped the side of my car! Now I can curse the driver for not using his blinker, but the truth is I pulled up next to him on the shoulder where I shouldn’t have been. So, my car got clipped, actually my car got totaled. Gee it doesn’t take much to total a car these days.
So, I can blame the semi-truck driver, or I can admit the truth. And when we don’t admit the truth, we operate at a low-voltage, or NO voltage. It’s like a branch bearing fruit, that Jesus talked about in the gospel. We are given the opportunity to bear much fruit or NOT bear much fruit. It really comes down to us deciding.
It’s like the writer of the second reading telling us to love, not just in our words, but with our deeds and with the truth. Now this is how it gets wonky . . . because the truth will set you free. We often lie or tell a half-truth because we think it will benefit us, get us out of trouble, or make us more lovable. It might in the short run, but in the long run, the truth will always allow Christ’s energy to flow brighter through us and free you.
If you want to bear much fruit, if you want to shine brightly . . . start being more honest. Certainly, honesty with your “groups” (that is, family members, classmates, friends, co-workers). Be honest with them . . .when you make a commitment stick to it, if you can’t, don’t give false hopes. If you want to be trusted more than do trustworthy things (e.g. stop talking about others so much.)
Also be honest with yourself: stop blaming others for your woes, own your mistakes, be honest with how you can improve your life (like eating more healthy foods, drinking more water, getting more sleep). It’s so easy to rattle off excuses, but usually it’s our own lack of doing the right things that is the big issue.
And most important of all . . . be honest with God. For example, before you go to sleep tonight, review your day with God and be honest about how you could have improved with big things, and with the little things. OR as we start Mass with the review of sins, actually DO IT . . . think about your life in the past 24 hours and think of how you could do somethings better. And of course, that leads into asking God to forgive you . . . in your prayer time, and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Jesus wants us to recognize the connection we have with him, and that he wants us to bear good fruit. It’s like this lamp, do the honorable thing (like telling the whole truth) and you will allow Christ’s light to shine brightly [I turn the lamp to its highest brightness].