Deacon Mike Meyer / Sunday, February 5, 2023 / Categories: Blog, Homilies A Light Shines in the Darkness Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Dr. Viktor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist from Vienna, spent 4 years in several Nazi concentration camps during World War II. On one grey, dreary day at Dachau, he became overwhelmed by the senseless cruelty of it all and felt his life slipping away from him. In his words, I was struggling to find the reason for my sufferings, my slow dying. In a last violent protest against the hopelessness of imminent death, . . . I felt [my spirit] transcend that hopeless, meaningless world, and from somewhere I heard a victorious “Yes” in answer to my question of the existence of an ultimate purpose. At that moment a light was lit in a distant farmhouse, which stood on the horizon as if painted there, in the midst of the miserable grey of a dawning morning in Bavaria. “Et lux in tenebris lucet”—and the light shine[s] in the darkness.[1] At that moment, Dr. Frankl discovered the one light that gives meaning and purpose to human existence, especially in our darkest moments, and it saved his life. Our readings shed a little light on who that is. All of our readings this morning remind us of our Christian duty to be a light in the darkness, a light to the world. Isaiah, our Psalmist, Saint Paul, and Jesus want us to live joyful, meaningful lives. They want us “to find the fulfillment . . . of discovering what [we’re] made for and how [we] can best use the gifts [we’ve] been given for the good of the world.”[2] Isaiah and our Psalmist illuminate the path to personal fulfillment, the way for us to offer genuine light to the world, through practical examples: sharing bread with the hungry, giving shelter to the oppressed and homeless, clothing the naked, being merciful, gracious, and just. Taken together, our readings present two essential Christian truths: the light that shines within us is not of our own making; and the light of Christ gives meaning to our lives. Let’s take each in turn. We know from John’s Gospel, both in the excerpt from the Prologue quoted by Dr. Frankl and Christ’s own words in Chapter 8, that Jesus is the light of the world. Yet, today’s readings from Isaiah, Psalm 112, and Matthew tell us that we’re the light of the world, that our light must shine in the darkness. Which is it? How do we reconcile these passages? Well, consider stained-glass windows, like these . . . . Oh. Imagine stained-glass windows. The kaleidoscope of colors and striking images in stained-glass windows are only visible when light shines through them. The light that illuminates the window isn’t part of the window; it comes from another source. And so it is with us. Each of us received the Light of Christ in baptism, so the radiance that shines through us comes from Christ’s presence in our hearts.[3] Jesus doesn’t expect us to generate our own light; he asks that we let his light shine through us. How do we do that? Well, first, we need to keep that light burning brightly within us by coming to church. The Word of God fans the flame, and the Eucharist feeds the fire that Christ kindled within us at baptism. Next, we need to carry the Light of Christ out into the world, to the darkest corners of human existence, and then, we need to let it shine! We need to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and comfort the mourning. In short, we need to live as Jesus taught us to live, loving God and loving our neighbor, because loving God and loving our neighbor is the reason God created us; it’s the meaning of life. When we use our gifts for the good of the world, whatever our talents may be, when we let the Light of Christ shine through us, we scatter the darkness in our world, glorify God, and fulfill the very purpose of our lives. Then, something amazing happens. The same light that shines through us before others scatters the darkness in our lives, too. What did Isaiah say? Let your light break through like the dawn, “and your wound shall quickly be healed.” Countless scientific studies prove what Scripture has proclaimed for millennia: people who have a purpose in life that transcends themselves have greater health and well-being.[4] These studies link self-transcendent meaning to lower anxiety and depression, positive affect, high morale, love, joy, verve, and vigor.[5] What does all this mean from a Christian perspective? When we let Christ’s light shine through us, it overcomes the darkness in our lives, we find meaning, and we’re happier and healthier for it. And that’s exactly want God wants for us. There’s a lot of darkness in the world, and I’ll bet that some of it touches every one of our lives in one way or another. Our seniors are lonely. Visit them—be a light to the world. Too many people—young, middle-aged, and older—are suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Comfort them, help them find the care they need—let your light shine in the darkness. People of color, immigrants, and other marginalized brothers and sisters face racism, discrimination, and injustice every day. Honor their human dignity, condemn racism, and fight for justice for all—let your light shine before others. When we let Christ’s light shine through us, we hear God’s victorious “Yes” to the age-old question of whether life has meaning. When we let Christ’s light shine through us, we show our sisters and brothers, and ourselves, that all human life has value and meaning because God loves us. We need to set our lamps on a lampstand and be lights to the world. That’s what Viktor Frankl did. Dr. Frankl survived the Holocaust, but his parents, brother, and pregnant wife did not. He had every reason, to curse the darkness and withdraw from the world, but he chose to be a light in the darkness instead. Coupling years of research with his experiences in the concentration camps, Frankl developed and promoted a new psychological therapeutic approach to help people find meaning in their lives. He offered psychiatric counseling, and wrote, lectured, and taught about it for the rest of his life, penning some 20 books by the time of his death in 1997 at the age of 92. His most famous book, Man’s Search for Meaning, is still a bestseller today. Et lux ejus in tenebris luxit. And his light shone in the darkness. May our light, the Light of Christ within us, shine in the darkness, too. Readings: Isaiah 58:7-10; Psalm 112; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16 [1] Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning (Boston: Beacon Press, 1992), 40-41. [2] Mary M. McGlone, “For the Good of the World,” National Catholic Reporter 59, no. 8 (January 20-February 2, 2023), 19. [3] William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 1 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), 141. [4] Thomas C. Barrett, “The Use of Meaning in Therapy,” New Jersey Psychologist (Winter 2017): 26, https://issuu.com/lilmisschris/docs/33716_winter__3. [5] Michael F. Steger, “Experiencing Meaning in Life: Optimal Functioning at the Nexus of Well-Being, Psychopathology, and Spirituality,” in The Human Quest for Meaning, ed. Paul T. P. Wong (New York: Routledge, 2012), 170 (citations omitted). A Light Shines in the Darkness A Matter of Trust Print 488 Please login or register to post comments.