The Light of a Stirred Heart

Ezra 1:1-6, Psalm: 125, Lk 8:16-18

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, the Word of God today reveals a beautiful and dynamic truth: our God is a God who stirs hearts to action so that His light may shine brilliantly before all.

In the first reading from the Book of Ezra, we witness a moment of astounding divine providence. The Israelites are in exile, their temple destroyed, their future bleak. Yet, God moves the heart of a pagan king, Cyrus of Persia, to not only release them but to fund the rebuilding of the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem. “The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus,” and the king responds by issuing a decree and empowering the people to return. But note: the call is not for Cyrus alone. He invites everyone whose heart is moved—“whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!” God’s work begins with His initiative, stirring a heart, but it requires our free and generous response.

This theme of divine initiative and human response finds its fulfillment in the Gospel. Jesus declares, “No one who lights a lamp hides it away… but places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.” The light is Christ Himself, the revelation of the Father’s mercy and love. But this light is now entrusted to us. We are the lamps. Through Baptism and Confirmation, we have been set ablaze with the light of Christ. This is not a private gift. It is meant to be seen. It is meant to illuminate the darkness of our world, our families, and our workplaces.

The Lord’s following words are both a promise and a warning: “To anyone who has, more will be given… from anyone who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.” This speaks of the fundamental principle of the spiritual life: grace is a gift that must be actively received and used. If we hoard our faith, keeping it private and hidden, it will eventually dim and flicker out. But if we actively respond to the Lord’s stirring in our hearts and let our light shine through acts of love, mercy, and testimony, then our capacity to receive His grace will grow exponentially.

God, like he did with Cyrus, is constantly stirring our spirits—through a homily, a moment of prayer, an encounter with a person in need. He invites us to “go up” and rebuild His Kingdom. Our response is to place our light on the lampstand, to live our faith publicly and joyfully.

As Pope Benedict XVI beautifully taught, “The light of Christ… shines, as it were, through the Church’s features and is meant to illuminate the path for all peoples and nations.” We are that Church; we are those features.

How do we apply this? We must first ask: How is God stirring my heart today? Is it a call to forgive someone? To serve in my parish? To speak a word of encouragement? Then, we must act. We must refuse to hide our light out of fear or complacency. We must perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, allowing the light of Christ to shine through our actions.

Saint John Chrysostom urges us, “Make your light shine! Do not hide your faith! Let it be seen by others! Your good works are the light of the world.”

Take comfort, for the same God who stirred the heart of a king to rebuild a temple of stone now stirs our hearts to become living stones in a spiritual temple. Let us respond with generosity, so that the light of Christ may shine brightly through us, dispelling all darkness and drawing all people to the glory of God. Amen.