5th day of the octave of Christmas – 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2:22-35
There is a fall and a rising, a moment of refusal and the sharp sting of a sword – and yet a guiding light that reaches into our very depths. We cannot stay on the sidelines when we stand before Him, any more than we could be unmoved at the sight of someone in dire need. We cannot look upon Him and pretend it makes no difference. In His presence, the disposition of our hearts is revealed – whether it tends towards love or hostility, wholehearted devotion or apathetic distance.
When we notice the world today seeming to brush Him aside or remain lukewarm, can we not wonder whether our own example has faltered? Have we allowed ourselves to withdraw, to doubt that the Gospel truly has power just as it is? Do we perhaps question our own worthiness, forgetting that His grace equips us for what He calls us to do?
As Saint John reminds us, “Anyone who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not keep his commandments, is a liar.” Only when we strive to live as Christ lived do we become reflections of Him – signs that some will resist. Our hearts, too, may feel the pain of that resistance, as though pierced by a sword. Yet, in that very struggle, the hidden intentions of many will be brought to light, and His radiance will break through in our midst.
The prophet Simeon foretold this destiny for the Newborn King, a destiny shared by all who follow Him across the generations – until, at last, that divine light shines fully into every human heart. This is our hope: that, in living faithfully, we help to kindle His radiance in the world and prove that nothing – no trial, no scepticism – can extinguish that glorious flame.