Yes indeed it is exhausting to always try and do what is right before the Lord our God, then falling into sin, temptation. Once again we struggle to pick ourselves up from despair and shame to live in His light! But what is the alternative if we don’t? To live in darkness? To search endlessly for peace, love and joy?
Nay! We must hold fast to the promises of Christ! He knows we are heavy laden and burdened, He will give us rest when we turn to Him. Our loving Lord understands the struggle we go through each and every day. We make wrong choices from time to time and end up straying from Him. Still He is our shepherd who goes out looking for us, and welcomes all who are contrite with open arms eagerly waiting to embrace us. So let our Yes always be for Him and in Him; by His grace we will once again shine brightly as beacons of His light in the world. Amen
First reading
2 Corinthians 1:18-22 ·
God himself has anointed us and given us his Spirit
I swear by God’s truth, there is no Yes and No about what we say to you. The Son of God, the Christ Jesus that we proclaimed among you – I mean Silvanus and Timothy and I – was never Yes and No: with him it was always Yes, and however many the promises God made, the Yes to them all is in him. That is why it is ‘through him’ that we answer Amen to the praise of God. Remember it is God himself who assures us all, and you, of our standing in Christ, and has anointed us, marking us with his seal and giving us the pledge, the Spirit, that we carry in our hearts.
Gospel
Matthew 5:13-16
Your light must shine in the sight of men
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.
‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’
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