Light and Mercy

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

By Beth DeCristofaro

This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:  whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked. … Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.  Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.   (1 John 2:5-6, 9-10)

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.  He came in the Spirit into the temple… (he said) “Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:26-27, 29-32)

Piety

Lord, may I, your servant go in peace to assist in acknowledging and embody your Word fulfilled.  May I walk with Jesus, my Brother, in the light, reflecting your love not hate or division.  I ask for mercy, Lord and I ask that I might act mercifully in your light this day.

Study

We tend to think of the Holy Spirit first entering the neighborhood of our world on Pentecost, filling the followers of Jesus with the fire of his love, truth, and courage to walk just as he walked.  But Simeon is a holy man, one of many men and women who preceded the coming of the Anointed One who, in the silence of their faith-seated hope heard the Spirit’s voice.

Simeon was blessed to hold the sacred infant in his arms.  Now, in our lifetime, we can be witnesses to the Spirit even more directly in the world than he was because that infant became the Risen Christ.  Jesus challenged us to walk his walk and provided the Spirit to fill us and guide us toward choices of light, not darkness.  No matter the gloom, cacophony, discord of the world we can be lights set on a lampstand revealing the Savior to the nations.

Action

How is your lamp burning?  Does it need some scrubbing of its exterior to make it shine brighter?  And to allow you to see your neighbor right in front of you asking for love?  Ask the Spirit for guidance and, if necessary, nudges in the direction the Lord wants us to walk.