A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 8:12-20
Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." So the Pharisees said to him, "You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified." Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me." So they said to him, "Where is your father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also." He spoke these words while teaching in the treasury in the temple area. But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
REFLECTIONS: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
On August 5, 2010 Jorge Galleguillos went to work as usual, blessing himself at a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe which was at the entryway. He felt the presence of God that day. In a few hours he found himself 2300 feet below ground level in total darkness and 3 miles away from the Virgin Mary statue. The San Jose copper gold mine where he worked at Copiapo, Chile collapsed and he would be trapped for 69 days, in total darkness with 32 other miners. In the darkness, it would have been very easy for them to become disoriented and through fear and hunger, experience despair and hopelessness at no end in sight. Through inexplicable miracles, the men survived. Most of them were Catholic and they asked for religious items to be sent down to them. They trusted God in the darkness and through faith, prayers and hope they were sustained by God. The miners prayed for those men who were working to rescue them. We all know how the story ended. All the men were rescued.
Jesus said, " I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." When we sin we reject God and His love. We live in darkness and we find ourselves fearful of whom we have become, desperate and hopeless in a life that we chose at first because it seemed "right" but eventually unable to get out of the consequences of our decisions. We see God at a distance but unable to reach Him on our own. We need help. We don't shine nor do we sparkle with brilliance because we no longer walk in the light. If we ask for forgiveness, if we seek God, He will always provide a way of escape back to His arms if we so desire. God will find us no matter how far down we are.
Do we walk confident that God's light will show us the way? May our priests have the patience to stay with their broken people, waiting on God's timing, waiting for the light to shine on people's lives.
