The Light

  Since getting to Indiana University this fall, I realized something.  There is A LOT of darkness around here.  And while, yes it does get dark INCREDIBLY early, I mean spiritual darkness.  I was walking home from a friends in the dark the other night, and I thought about this.  I mean, on the way back, I walked past people who were clearly going to parties.  The idea of a "party" has such a negative connotation to me.  Back home, partying was getting together with some friends, eating food, doing silly things like play hide and go seek, and just in general, enjoy each others company.  Whatever happened to this?  This new darkness has snuffed out the light.
  We Catholics are consider counter cultural in today's world.  Society is telling everyone to do what they want when they want to, and that is the way to truly find happiness.  When has anyone found true happiness this way?   Anyone I know who gets themselves caught up in this lifestyle just has more drama occur in their life than anyone would ever want.  Society tells us that by living this way, it is liberating and free.  I did not know that enslaving yourself to sin was freedom.  In seeking happiness and freedom we overlook what really makes us happy.
  What does all this have to do with "The Light?"  Simply, everything.  We as Catholics need to go out and spread the light in the darkness.  Sometimes around this campus I feel like the light is very dim.  There were times in high school I felt the same way.  Take your candle, make sure the wick is burning bright.  Go out into the darkness with it.  Show others the path, the path we all must take.  Show them how beautiful the path is.  Show them that true happiness exists on the path.  Light their candle.  Ask them to help you spread the light.  This is what it is about everyone.  No matter how bright your own candle is, it is but a dim pinprick of light in a dark world.  The only way that light can return is if you take you candle while its burning at its brightest and let it light other peoples.  No matter how special you think your own candle is, no matter how bright you may see it, your candle means very little if it does not light other candles.
  How do we get the light to spread?  I think a St. Francis quote would work here.  "Preach the gospel at all times, if necessary, use words."  That is the first advice I have.  Your words mean nothing if you do not live what you say.  Be a Catholic, in my last blog I talked about "Catholics." Do not be one of those.  The next advice I can give, is always burn with love.  That is what makes the candle so bright to begin with.  If the flame is to spread, it will be spread through kindness, gentleness, and love.  The only way to spread the fire is if you have any left, the only way to keep your own fire burning is to frequent the sacraments.  Especially confession.  That is so important, I think we miss the importance of that one, but I will save that for another blog.  Confession and the Eucharist.  This is what keeps our flames burning bright through the wind. My final advice, is make sure that you are with other lit candles.  It will be very easy to let your own go out when you are in a world of complete darkness.  The darkness has locked the light in a corner.  I think its time for the light to take charge.  Its about time that we take the initiative to claim back light in the name of Christ.  I will lead the charge, but will you follow?