1st January
EVENING CONTEMPLATION
TOPIC: YE ARE THE LIGHT
TEXT: MATT. 5:14; PHIL. 2:15
''Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.''
''That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.''
Wheresoever and whensoever darkness is extant, formlessness and voidness would be: Gen. 1:2; also, the true state, colour and position of things would be unknown: Luke 15:8; how many would incure injuries, wounds, sores and bruises in the nonexistent of light! The firstborn-creature is light: Gen. 1:3; light was before all--it is the foundational and corner stone of creation.
As the sun, moon and stars are assigned to give light to the world, so the church is ordained to be or exist being the light of the ordered System--the world of culture, religion, politics, government and secular society; or the human sociological realm. She is in the 'midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom...' she must 'shine as lights in the world.' This is the essence of the extant of the church: she is anointed to enable evil people to perceive God's truth as a light enables people to perceive what is around them. Oh Church militant, the emabacy of the true God here on earth, if ever renovation will come to the system of things here; as we would know justice and equity in this life; and as all would see the true nature of things, the church must be pricked up from her sloth and negligence. Let none expect good if the church arises not. The church has plucked herself from the sky--where she is meant to be and to give light as do the constelation family--the sun, the moon and the stars. All institutions of government, religion and family would grope in darkness until the church shines forth her light. Let none hear us saying, 'This and that is bad, corrupt, evil and disjointed' whilst the church embraces shadows, and negligent of her primary mission down here--to shine as light!
Prayer: Most merciful and loving Father of light, shine upon thy church here as thou doest to that Church above, which consists of spirits of just men made perfect, that she mayeth also shine on the earth! Trim her lamp and quench not this smoking flax but restore it to vibrancy. Remove from thy Church all that cause her to offend; and give to her such that would clear her interest in thee; give her teaching priests and bless all her endevours till thou comest to disolve and melt her into the church triumphant, already in heaven. Amen