9781644135945

The Light of the World
“The Lord is nigh.” He comes into our very soul in Holy Communion. In our admiration
of the humility of the Baptist, we may wonder about our own worthiness to receive Him. But
the Church says “to the fainthearted: Take courage and fear not. Behold our God will come
and will save us” (Communion). The petition which we made to God in the Gradual, “Stir up
Thy might and come,” has been heard. Our desire is fulfilled; we are redeemed. His coming
in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago is now to be repeated in our soul. Our souls have
become another Bethlehem.
Meditation
The stational church for this Sunday is that of St. Peter in Rome. Here Peter established his see,
and where Peter is, there is Christ also. “The Lord is nigh,” and we are not lost. We have nothing
to fear but our own weakness, our own unworthiness and sinfulness. We have a Redeemer who
will satisfy for our past sins. The Lord is nigh and is always concerned about the work of our
salvation and sanctification.
“Rejoice in the Lord” (Introit). The spirit most characteristic of the Christian is joy. When he
was made a child of God on the day of his baptism, the Church prayed “that he may joyfully
serve Thee in Thy Church.” In a sense, then, the Christian is commanded to be joyful. Joy is
the badge of his state of life, the pledge of his lasting incorporation in Christ. Why should the
Christian be sad? Hath not God “with Him given us all things?” (Rom 8:32.) Through baptism
and the possession of sanctifying grace a man becomes a member of the true vine, which is
Christ, and a child of God. Our heavenly Father takes us gently by the hand and leads us on.
He keeps us in His infallible truth. He strengthens us in Holy Communion; He gives us the
promise of eternal happiness to come. From God we have the privilege of Holy Communion,
the guarantee of infallible truth, and the promise of an eternal and blessed life in the home of
the Father. Should we not rejoice in the Lord our Redeemer?
“Rejoice in the Lord always.” Always rejoice, even in grief and sorrow, in care and solicitude,
in difficulties and trials, and in all the trying tasks of this present life. “To them that love God, all
things work together unto good” (Rom 8:28). Labor and effort are essential if we are to attain to
a holy life, growth in grace, and eternal blessedness. Suffering, too, we may expect — suffering
with Christ, who by His own suffering makes ours fruitful. Christ fights with us and in us, that
through us He may conquer Satan, and that by Him we may gain eternal happiness. Our own
poverty of soul should teach us to distrust our own strength. Our past failures should make us
turn to Him when our virtue is tested. “To them that love God, all things work together unto
good,” the good of our salvation.
“The Lord is nigh.” No man can bear the sufferings and trials of life alone. When we view
the forces arrayed against us, the prospect is frightening. But it need not be so if we understand
our position. Once we have acquired membership in Christ, the Lord is nigh. We live by the
life of Christ, our Redeemer, as children in the house of their father. Once we understand our
union with our Lord and realize that His strength is our strength and that our cause is His
cause, we shall have good reason to rejoice. He is as close to us as the vine is to its branches.
He is our life. For one who has grasped this idea, there is no reason to be sad, no matter what
dangers threaten. Every situation in life will find such a one rejoicing in the glory of the Lord
(Phil 4:4; 1 Cor 1:31).
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