Today's Gospel: Luke 8:16-18 - Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina When I first selected this date to write a Gospel reflection it was because of St. Pio, a favorite saint. Weeks later, when I finally got around to reading the Gospel for today I sort of glanced over this verse with an attitude of, “Yeah, yeah, I know, be the light.” And thought it just another old familiar verse with nothing new to offer, that was until I stepped into darkness. It is the darkness we all come to sooner or later; the suffering, self doubts, and insecurities of illness, aging and death. It is in my own decline that something new came from this overly-familiar verse. The first thing that struck me in this verse was “those who enter may see the light”. It was illuminating to realize that I must choose to enter the suffering in order to see the light within the confines of the situation. In that ‘entering in’ I must also listen carefully during the flow of suffering or aging to what the Lord wants me to hear. What question is He asking that I must answer in order to draw closer to him? If I am spiritually responsive there is much more He will allow me to understand. Of course the flip side to that is if, in my distraction with the suffering, I choose not to seek his enlightenment, then what little I had gained in drawing closer to God slips away and again I am lost in the spiritually superficial darkness of self-grieving.

Ponder:

St. Pio offers us one of his daily prayers, “Stay with me, Lord, for you are my light and without you I am in darkness.” How can his words help you to be spiritually responsive?

Pray:

Increase in me, O Lord, my dependence on You.
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About the Author

Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB

Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB

Margaret Rose Realy, Obl. OSB lives an eremitic life and authored A Garden Catechism, A Catholic Gardener’s Spiritual Almanac,  A Garden of Visible Prayer: Creating a Personal Sacred Space One Step at a Time, and  Cultivating God’s Garden through Lent. An award-winning author, Margaret has a master’s degree in communications, is a Certified Greenhouse Grower, Master Gardener, liturgical garden consultant, and workshop/retreat leader.