I will be presiding tonight at Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction for one of the parishes to which I am assigned. It will be an hour of quiet before the Lord.
The crowd will be small, but those present have a certain hunger for rest and for presence.
Today’s Gospel is John 3: 16-21.
“God so love the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him may not die but may have eternal life…. the light came into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were wicked. Everyone who practices evil hates the light…. But he who acts in truth comes into the light, to make clear that his deeds are done in God.”
Life, love, light, and truth. All are of God. How often, I wonder, do we examine our consciences based upon these? What have I done, or failed to do, to promote life? What have I done, or failed to do, to love? What have I done, or failed to do, to bring enlightenment to those in the darkness of sin and ignorance? What have I done, or failed to do, to speak and live truth?
My friends, when John speaks of men loving darkness rather than light because their deeds were wicked, he is referring to these questions. None of us likes to think of ourselves as “wicked.” We reserve that term to the devil or evil, don’t we? But John is speaking to each one of us in this Gospel. We need to realize that in many small ways, usually, we live in the darkness.
The presence of our Eucharistic Lord during adoration and benediction affords us that opportunity to break into eternity, unimaginable beauty, light, truth and life. It offers us that opportunity.
Can we accept it? Do we promote it?
