The snowstorm this past Wednesday certainly inconvenienced a lot of people and took hours to clean up. But the other side of it is the beauty of the earth blanketed in white. I was looking out the window yesterday, and was struck with the amazing effect of the sun shining on the fallen snow….how it sparkled in the light and was so bright it was almost blinding. All of that sun light was diffused and reflected almost as if someone had set the scene.

Once again in today’s scriptures we pick up that thread of light. Both the first reading from Isaiah the Prophet and the Gospel of Matthew tell us that we too have a light to shine forth. Jesus says we don’t hide a lamp under a basket, but put it on a table to brighten the whole house. Isaiah says that the light shines forth when we care for those among us who are hungry , oppressed and homeless; when justice is meted out and truth prevails.

Of course the key to all of this is that the Light within us is not ours alone, but it is the Light of Christ in which we share. Someone once said we need to be light stained glass windows when the sun shines. The light is reflected through the various colors of the window, casting a beautiful image. Likewise, God’s light needs to shine through our unique personalities, falling upon those who are in need. Just take a look around our church at the wonderful stained glass that surrounds us. No two windows are the same yet each in its own way reflects the light differently. Every one of us has the potential to be a beautiful stained glass window for others.

We first receive the light of Christ at Baptism when parents are entrusted with a lighted candle. As we grow into adulthood it becomes our responsibility to keep that flame of faith alive , to put it on a lampstand for all to see. And like the sparkling snow in the sun, perhaps someone will notice and be prompted to let their own light shine!