RBWords

     Many of us know an old hymn with the refrain, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...."  We may sing it with more or less enthusiasm but the message is very much in line with the words of Jesus in today's gospel scripture!  The problem for many Catholics is that once we leave the church building, we conceal that very light that we just sang about!  We're not the only Christians who do this, by any means.  The "privatization" of faith in the United States and other western countries has resulted in the loss of much of the Good News becoming no news at all because no one is spreading it outside of the liturgical events at church!

     When I was pastor at an inner city Hispanic parish in San Antonio, parishioners expressed their worry to me about the small evangelical churches that were springing up in their neighborhoods and how the members of those churches would go door to door to invite people to attend.  When I responded, "That's a good idea!  Why don't you do that for our church?" I got the horrified response, "Oh no, Father, that's what the Protestants do!"  (I think a lot of mainline Protestant pastors would get the same response!)  In short, we Catholics (I can't speak for other denominations), are experts at putting our light under a bushel basket to keep it from being seen!

     This evening I will begin a parish mission near Memphis, TN, and I hope to help the congregation recall and reclaim the power of their baptism and the gifts they have received as a result of that event, and the commission to share those gifts!  Elsewhere in the gospel, Jesus challenges all disciples: "The gift you have received, give as a gift!"  The gift of the light of faith one that shows the path of life.  I don't think we can do any better than that!   AMEN