Daily Gospel Reflection for January 30, 2020

Today's Gospel: Mark 4:21-25 My daughter recently graduated from high school and began college. To me she has the most wonderful personality -- fun-loving, giggly, and bubbly, yet competitive and driven to succeed. It was difficult for her to find friends in her small Catholic high school. Yet we encouraged her to stay true to herself and not change; it was the other students’ loss to not appreciate her personality. The gospel today says lamps are not meant to be placed under baskets or beds. They are meant to be set on lampstands to let their light fill the room. Similarly, we encouraged our daughter to be herself and let her outgoing, positive personality fill the high school classrooms and sports arenas no matter what the other kids said. Now she is discovering that in a larger Catholic college she is able to find many other young people like herself and who value her for who she is. We are grateful she never stopped letting her light shine and now is being rewarded for it. We, too, are called to let our light shine for the entire world to see. God made each of us unique and asks us to use our individual gifts to make the world a better place. Whether our talents are to verbally tell others about God and His blessings, to quietly show others by our kindness, to sing with joy our praises, or to bake for those in distress, we all have our ways of letting our light of Christ shine to others. Take time to reflect on what makes you unique and what makes you happy. Those are qualities and activities God wants you to share. Don’t hide them under a basket and keep them to yourself -- let them glow!

Ponder:

What gift has God given you that needs to be shared with others?

Pray:

Dear Lord, thank You for blessing me with so many gifts. Give me the courage and strength to identify them, and use them to glorify You and brighten the world around me.