Transience or Persistence?

32ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

[ Matthew 25: 1-13 ]

   The transience of fireworks.

The temporal glory of fireworks.

Fireworks show is magnificent, majestic, mesmerizing and magical. Just a small flame propels the firework high up into the sky, where it explodes into thousand flashes of vivid colours, and finally it vanishes into the darkness of the night. Such is firework: it is blindingly bright, freakingly hot, deafening loud, but it lasts only for a while. It is a performance which serves little purpose – it is transient.

   The persistence of sanctuary lamp.

The perpetual light of the sanctuary lamp.

On the other hand, whenever we enter an empty Catholic church or chapel at night, we will never be engulfed by total darkness. There is always a single burning red light guiding our way – an oil lamp, known as the sanctuary lamp, is continuously aglow day and night near the Tabernacle. It is the liturgical symbol that our Lord Jesus Christ is really and truly present in the Tabernacle. The little oil lamp burns silently, humbly and unassumingly, yet shining forth diligently, consistently and persistently the light of Christ and the light for Christ. Such a small oil lamp, yet having the power equivalent to a gigantic lighthouse, calming the weary minds, drawing the wandering hearts, and guiding the searching souls to Christ.

   Substance over form. Persistence over transience.

At Baptism, a baptism candidate is always presented a lighted candle with these words, “Receive the light of Christ!” Indeed, each one of us, at our Baptism, have received the light of Christ. Here are two points to ponder:

   1) How have I been shining?

   Is the light of Christ that I have received still shining? Struggling to shine? Or has it ceased to shine?

   2) For whom have I been shining?

   Do I shine selflessly for Christ like the sanctuary lamp? Or do I shine like a fireworks performance?

“…May this flame (of our faith in Christ) be found still burning by the Morning Star: the one Morning Star who never sets, Christ Your Son…” such is the Easter Proclamation (the Exsultet), chanted at every Easter Vigil Mass, professed by the Universal Church, echoed throughout the ages.

Lumen Christi: the light of Christ.

And as reaffirmed by Jesus in the Gospel reading this Sunday, He is Bridegroom. He is coming back for His Bride, the Church. Blessed are we who keep the light of our faith burning until He comes again.

Yes, Jesus has warned us time and again that it is not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven! [Mt 7: 21-23]

   1) Salvation is not a one-off event; salvation is a continuous journey towards God.

   2) Salvation is not a 100-meter sprint; salvation is a life-long marathon towards God.

   3) Salvation is not about putting on an ostentatious fireworks show; salvation is about keeping the light of faith in Jesus Christ, burning day and night, like that of a tiny sanctuary lamp.

   “Let there be light!” [Gn 1: 3]

We are the light of the world [Mt 5:14], let us therefore shine forth for all the world to see. Like the small sanctuary lamp, let our light of Christ and our light for Christ shine forth, calming the weary minds, drawing the wandering hearts, and guiding the searching souls to Christ.

Let our fervent prayer be:

   “Lord Jesus Christ, give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning for You till the break of day.”

Let us also pray that God’s justice, peace, truth and love may prevail in Malaysia, Israel-Palestine, Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.

   [Note: This Gospel reflection was first published on Porta Fidei, Gospel Reflection, 8 Nov 2020.]