Scripture:
Hebrews 10:19-25
Mark 4:21-25
Reflection:
"Jesus said to his disciples, is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?"
Today’s question from Jesus seems like a common sense approach on how to handle a lamp; sort of like a book called "Lamp Placement for Dummies". Why would anyone put a lamp in a room and hide it under a bushel basket? Yet in my life of faith I sometimes hide the light with a bushel basket of my own making!
I take the wondrous light, the inner knowledge that we are all one in God, each other and creation, and stuff it away out of sight under a bushel basket of self-serving rules, rituals and religious biases which divide rather than unite. Jesus prayed that we all might be one. Sometimes it seems we use everything possible to make sure that does not happen on our watch! We respond to the signs of our times by hiding our light, emphasizing division rather than unity.
It is easy to "exclude" rather than "include" in our world. It certainly can make us feel safer if we dictate who can come to our table to eat and who cannot.
It is a good day for me to reflect on what I am using as a "bushel basket" to hide the light of God in myself, others and creation. What is my bushel basket and why am I using it to hide the light?
Terry McDevitt, Ph.D. is a member of our Passionist Family in Louisville, Kentucky.