Are you and I lights for the world shining bright for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Do folks light up with joy when they see you? Are they eager to hear your voice? To hear about the hope that they should carry in their hearts and the peace that you bring with You, the presence of Christ Jesus Himself! For when we bring Jesus with us, “Jar of meal shall not be spent, jug of oil shall not be emptied.” For the Lord Himself sends rain on the face of the earth.
But how can we such a light of the world? We already are by virtue of our baptism and later confirmation. If we remain steadfast and obedient in our faith then the word of the Lord shall surely come to us and lead us to where we must go and what we must do and say. This is what it means to live in the Spirit!
However if we continue to live distracted lives, that is remaining only as Sunday Christians and giving in to the ways and wiles of the world. Then we are simply lamps placed by ourselves under tubs. We have lost our saltiness!
Let us pray by singing this hymn with vigour!
1. A light within the world
Yes, witnesses are we,
To bear the light of Christ
For all the world to see
Refrain:
We come with joy, O Christ
In answer to Your Call;
Through love we give all.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2. Your love and light, O Lord,
You send us to impart
To those who know You not
Yet love You in their heart.
3. Have mercy on the world
That sin and strife may cease;
Extend your reign, O Christ,
You are the King of Peace.
First reading
1 Kings 17:7-16 ·
The widow gives food to Elijah, and is fed
The stream in the place where Elijah lay hidden dried up, for the country had no rain. And then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, ‘Up and go to Zarephath, a Sidonian town, and stay there. I have ordered a widow there to give you food.’ So he went off to Sidon. And when he reached the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks; addressing her he said, ‘Please bring me a little water in a vessel for me to drink.’ She was setting off to bring it when he called after her. ‘Please’ he said ‘bring me a scrap of bread in your hand.’ ‘As the Lord your God lives,’ she replied ‘I have no baked bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am just gathering a stick or two to go and prepare this for myself and my son to eat, and then we shall die.’ But Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, go and do as you have said; but first make a little scone of it for me and bring it to me, and then make some for yourself and for your son. For thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel:
“Jar of meal shall not be spent,
jug of oil shall not be emptied,
before the day when the Lord sends
rain on the face of the earth.”’
The woman went and did as Elijah told her and they ate the food, she, himself and her son. The jar of meal was not spent nor the jug of oil emptied, just as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.
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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