9781644135945

The Light of the World
Christ, who is stronger than Satan, has driven the mighty adversary from our souls. When
we renounce Satan and all his pomps, we do so with perfect freedom and we undertake a
life-long struggle against him. We are incorporated in the living Christ and share in the life of
the “strong one.” The strength of Christ, which made St. Lawrence victorious on his burning
griddle, operates in us also. Thus we approach the battle of life for the decisive meeting with
Satan. “He that is not with Me is against Me” (Gospel). We place ourselves under the banner
of Christ, for there can be no neutral position. We have devoted all our energies to the struggle,
and today in the middle of the lenten season we look back on what has been accomplished.
Have we been faithful to our baptismal promises? Has Satan and sin and the powers of darkness
made no inroads upon us? The liturgy rightly reminds us today: “But fornication and all
uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints;
or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather giving of thanks.
For know ye this, and understand, that no fornicator, or unclean or covetous person, which is
a serving of idols, hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Epistle).
Let us therefore examine ourselves seriously. “Today if you shall hear His voice, harden not
your hearts” (Ps 94:8). Woe to us if the unclean spirit should return to our souls and bring with
him seven other spirits worse than himself. The last condition of that man is worse than the
first. “For you were heretofore darkness; but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the
light, for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth” (Epistle). We are children
of the light and should no longer know darkness; we should walk always with our gaze fixed on
God, in unfaltering faith and in unceasing praise of our Creator. What are the fruits that may be
expected of the children of light? Their lives must be characterized by unfailing charity towards
their fellow men, by an upright life and a ceaseless search for that which is most in conformity
to the will of God and conducive to the salvation of one’s neighbor and of one’s own soul. The
children of light can have nothing in common with wickedness. They cannot share the passions
and jealousies and affectations of men of the world.
The essence of a true Christian life lies in an unfailing love of God and our neighbor.
The life of the Christian is a life of love. That love obliges him to separate himself completely
and effectively from all that is sinful; not only from that which is mortally sinful, but from
every venial sin and imperfection that is in any way deliberate. This love can endure no
willful imperfection. It knows and desires only what is pleasing to God. Its every action is
performed out of pure love of God and of Christ. This love seeks to give to God and to the
Savior everything that it has, even to the last drop of its blood. It is prepared to suffer all
trials and humiliations for the love of God, and even rejoices that it is permitted to undertake
this suffering for the love of God.
Today in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we renew our struggle for virtue. We unite ourselves to
the suffering Christ as He offers Himself to the Father, and strive to enter more intimately into
His life. Aided by His strength, we take up again the struggle against evil and renew our efforts to
acquire solid virtue. As children of the light we go forward to Easter and our eternal transfiguration.
“Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it” (Gospel). That is the way of light
and love. Only he who loves can fulfill the law of God perfectly. To this commendation of Christ
the true lover replies: “The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts, and His judgments are
sweeter than honey and the honeycomb; for Thy servant keepeth them” (Offertory).
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