Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Christ is the light of the world. In John’s gospel today, Christ says that he comes not to condemn the world, but to save it. The light of Christ scatters all darkness. In baptism, we are given the light of Christ, a tender flame atop a small candle. There are times in our lives when this light, this flame, feels especially tender. When the winds of life seem to threaten it. At those times, we shelter the light; we allow the community to be a shelter for us. No matter how much it feels like it flickers at times, this light of Christ in us does not go out. This tender flickering light is a gift we must never take for granted.
There are other times in life when the light in us feels strong, and we are adding to the fuel. It grows and spreads, much like we hear in Acts today. It grows from tending the flame. As it grows, we fuel it and help it grow, sharing this abundant light with others. This abundant light is a gift that we must never take for granted.
St Catherine of Sienna, whose feast we celebrate today, famously said, “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire!” Be who God meant you to be, and you will be light! In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ reminds us that no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel basket, but instead puts it on a stand to give light all around.
We are meant to be light in this world. This means that we share our light. It also means that we tend our light - spending time breathing and being in the light of Christ and letting our light be tended. It is a delicate balance, fueling and sharing; breathing and being. What is God inviting you to today - to focus a bit more on tending your own flame or to find ways to share it with others?
—Kelly Adamson