Ordinary Time

Pause

Jesus, Light of the world, come and sit with me.

Shine your wisdom unto me.

Jesus, Light of my life, come and be still with me.

Direct me in your truth.

Listen

The Lord is my light and my salvation. Should I fear anyone? The Lord is a fortress protecting my life. Should I be frightened of anything?

Psalm 27:1

Think

A little bit of fear doesn’t hurt, right? We’ve been told, after all, to stay away from danger, be it a hot stove or strangers bribing us with free candy or cuddly puppies. Mama done raised me right — I shall harbor a little bit of fear to keep me in good standing with the world! There is, however, a difference between caution and fear. The former is healthy and often a practice of sound judgment while the latter can be debilitating and a practice of living in darkness.

In today’s passage, the psalmist boldly claims the Lord to be the promise of salvation and assurance. It’s a truth statement and a practice of living in the light. The difference between this stance of bold proclamation and a stance of fear is undeniable. The psalmist proclaims the promise that the Light of the world will take care of us. No amount of fear can hurt with this promise of life.

Aram Bae

Pray

Jesus, Light of the world, thank you the gift of life found in you. Guide me to practice living in your light. Empower me to shine your love, mercy, and grace even in the smallest ways, so that the promise of your Light extends beyond the people and world that I know. Amen.

Go

Christ my Redeemer, be alive and real in my life.

Christ my Friend, be near and true to your word.

Christ my Light, be honored in what I say and do.