Do we shine our light for others to see or keep it on a dimmer switch?
While this is a huge relief for those for whom public displays of Christian devotion generate alarming awkwardness, it does seem contradictory. Do it all in secret, “then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (6:4). “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them,” he warns (Matt. 5:16).Įven so, Jesus then cautions against being too obvious about it. “Let your light shine before others,” he says, “that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells his followers they are the light of the world. It is a season devoted to shining outward. Epiphany, meaning revelation, marks the bright manifestation of Christ to Gentiles, represented by the Magi.
With Ash Wednesday this pandemic year, the already dim light of Epiphany gives way to the murkier light of Lent.
