St. Mary's Church Elizabeth, IL

10/12

Choose the light!

READ EPHESIANS, CHAPTER 5, VERSES 3 TO 20

"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."  These words may not have inspired the editors of the Boston Globe in their courageous decision to expose the conspiracy surrounding the sexual abuse of minors in the Boston Archdiocese but they certainly could have.  This awful tragedy encompassing thousands of young people in so many dioceses and which has severely damaged the faith of so many believers is rooted in one terrible sin - the refusal to "live as children of the light."  This a theme that John's gospel develops in great detail in such stories as Jesus' cure of the man born blind (John 9).  Accepting Jesus into our lives means really seeing things as they are, including the dark spots within ourselves and in our Church.  The sad truth is that we would sometimes rather stay in the darkiness than face a difficult truth.

    "Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord."

                                                                       EPHESIANS 5:10

     Happily, the letter provides a way to redemption: Get drunk!

"Do no get drunk with wine...but be filled with the spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spirtual songs amoung yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts."  No one would choose the darkness of sin and scandal over the joyful light of truth if he or she were saturated with the presence of God.  This kind of inebriation, rather than dulling the senses, puts everyting into a much clearer perspective.   We see then that the  most brutal truth could never be more painful than the choice to stay in the darkness and to walk away from the God who loves every fiver of our beings.

->Was there ever a time I was more afraid of scandal than sin?

Prayer Starter:  Open my eyes, Lord.  Help me to see your light in all its glory.

Fr. Joachim