Radiating Christ
By John Graveline, Director of Parish Life
February 8, 2026
“Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless, clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed.”
Isaiah 58:7-8
You are the Light of the World
This weekend’s readings once again center on the image of light. In our Gospel reading, Jesus preaches, “You are the light of the world . . . your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:14, 16) A few weeks ago, I wrote about the twofold purpose of light to give illumination and warmth. So, what are the illumination and warmth that we are called to radiate? The compassionate, merciful love of God as revealed to us in the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus and poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit at our baptism (Romans 5:5).
When we have personally and communally experienced the unconditional love of God in our lives, we can then let it flow through us as a blessing to all people. We are so blessed to be part of a beloved parish community of faith, hope, and charity. It is easy to become discouraged when we watch the news, which tends to highlight all the problems of our society. However, in those times of discouragement, I invite us to open our eyes to see all the good in our midst as well. In our parish, we feed the hungry through our monthly food drive and annual food truck ministries; we shelter the oppressed and homeless through our volunteer hours each month at ministries like Midland’s Open Door and through our monthly parish promise tithe to Caregiving Network; we help clothe those in need through our annual boot drive; we welcome the stranger through our commitment to parish evangelization and hospitality and through our annual food and clothing drive for migrant workers. The list goes on and on. I encourage you to take a few moments to read the minutes of our Christian Service Commission which are published in the bulletin each month. Our light is shining in the Midland community as an expression of God’s compassionate love!
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.”
Psalm 115:1
Receiving the Light
However, we were reminded in last weekend’s readings about the centrality of humility so that our boast is in the Lord, not in ourselves so that “the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.” (1 Cor. 1:17) The light that we are called to radiate is not our own light for our own self-aggrandizement, but the illumination and warmth of the love of God that we have first received as God’s gift of Grace and shared for the glorification of God. I have an old holy card in my prayer book with a prayer attributed to St. Teresa of Kolkata called Radiating Christ. The prayer reads in part, “Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go. Flood our souls with your spirit and life . . . Shine through us, and be so in us, that every soul we come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul . . . Stay with us, and then we shall begin to shine as you shine; so as to be a light to others; the light, O Jesus, will be all from you, none of it will be ours, it will be you, shining on others through us. Let us thus praise you in the way you love best, by shining on those around us.”
“We declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ . . . so that our joy may be complete.”
1 John 1:3, 4
Radiating the Light
Over the next ten days, we will have the opportunity to have the light of Christ shine through us as a parish community to glorify God through our hospitality. Next Saturday evening, February 14, we will host Assumption Celebrates Family. This dinner is a time of food, fun, music, games, and fellowship for our entire parish family (and guests—all are welcome!). Even though it is Valentines’ Day, this is not a couple’s event but an opportunity to celebrate the love of God that has called us together to experience God’s love in this parish. The next two evenings, February 15 and 16, we are overjoyed to welcome Christian Contemporary artist Sarah Hart for two spiritual enrichment concerts from 6:30 to 8:00 each evening. You are encouraged to come to either or both evenings. The concert theme will be different each night. This is a wonderful opportunity to prepare our hearts to enter into the season of Lent. Sarah’s music is known and sung in Christian churches of many denominations. Please reach out to invite your friends or neighbors who would like to experience this beautiful, spiritual music. Again, all are welcome on all three evenings! There is no charge for the dinner or the concerts, but we will have a free-will collection to offset our costs. Also, if you would like to make a donation to encourage these events in the future, please contact me. However, the point of these opportunities is not to be “fund raisers” but to be “light radiators.”
Finally, next Wednesday, February 18, is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of our Lenten preparations for Easter. All are welcome to attend our Mass that evening at 6:30 and receive ashes (one does not need to be Catholic to receive ashes). Our reception of ashes and beginning of the observance of Lent is the perfect time to humbly consider our need for God’s merciful love and to share that love and mercy with each and every person we encounter.
My prayer is that each of us come to truly know in the depths of our beings the great love that God has for us,
personally and communally. May we always receive that love with grateful hearts and let God’s love flow through us in works of light, justice, compassion, and mercy so that our entire society and world will be illuminated and warmed by the light of Christ!
John