Our City set on Mt. St. Francis

 

“You are the light of the world…”, so our Lord tells His disciples in today’s liturgy.  A few days ago we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, traditionally called “Candlemas Day” because of the candlelit procession that initiates the Sacrifice of the Mass.  We each carried a burning taper meant to be an outward sign of our vocation to enlighten the world with the Christ life that burns in our hearts.  February 2^nd is also the midpoint between our celebrations of Christmas and Easter.  Jesus is still a Babe in His Mother’s arms being carried into the temple for the first time.  But there they will meet Simeon, the holy man inspired by the Spirit who prophesies to Mary that her Son will be a “Sign of contradiction” and her own heart will be pierced with a sword.  So in this one feast the Church brings together the mystery of the Incarnation and Redemption, the Word made Flesh who yet shines in the darkness, a darkness that did not overcome Him even in His Passion and Death.  We too are called to be lights shining in the darkness of our world by our being united to His Mystical Body and sharing His divine life with others.

A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”

As cloistered nuns, we have often been chided for not following this Gospel.  Being enclosed and hidden from sight by vow, are we not putting our light under a bushel basket?  How can we shine before others if they cannot see us?  This objection actually reflects the individualistic and materialistic orientation of our modern world.  Our Christian witness is a communal rather than an individual affair.  We worship God together in the very close and restricted environment of the papal enclosure.  Those who do come to know us through the limited communication our way of life affords are often amazed that 20 women can live in such close quarters without killing each other!  The only explanation is that the Christ life has been enkindled among us and charity reigns.  This is the light that shines from our monastery upon the darkness of hatred and division that encompasses the world.  True, it is not seen directly by the eyes of our contemporaries, but it is experienced spiritually for those who are open to it.  Even on the physical level, once a lamp is lit and set on its stand, who keeps looking at it?  No, the lamp is meant to shine so that people can see the realities around them.  Our light, coming from Christ, shines so that men and women can clearly see what is real and unreal, what is true and what is false, what is good and what is evil.  It is our prayer that all may come to know Him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and to follow Him out of the darkness and into His marvelous light.