Vigilance

I want to be a candle for the Lord. I was in the adoration chapel at a local church a couple weeks ago, and as I was praying I was looking at this candle that was lit. Immediately I thought, I want to be a candle for the Lord. The purpose of our lives here on earth is exactly that. Jesus wants us to be lights of His love, to expel the darkness this world is made up of, to be a constant and steadfast in our faith. I was thinking about the purpose of a candle and what it is made of and found this...

Candle wicks are designed to draw liquid fuel into their own bodies and provide a steadily burning flame. Candle wicks are generally made of braided cotton around a core that gives the cord its rigidity (so that it stands up). The composition and position of the candle wick affects how a candle burns.

As human beings we, like the candle wicks, are designed to draw Jesus Christ into our own bodies and provide a steadily burning flame of his love. The wicks are made of braided cotton which reminded me of the three pillars of the Church: the Magisterium, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition... all three of these things strengthening us in our faith and leading us closer to God. Our core is Jesus... allowing us to stand firm in the world. Our position affects how we burn for the Lord. If we are in a place far away from the Lord and deep into sin, our candle is so feeble no one will be able to see. In this place of darkness no one will be able to see an example of the Lord through you, no one will be led to Christ through you.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11,14-22: Concerning times and seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober. Those who sleep go to sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do ..... We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all. See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good [both] for each other and for all. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil.

The Lord is calling us to live as lights in the world. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul is asking us to “stay alert and sober” we are being called to “admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, and be patient with all”. Brothers and sisters, the Lord wants us to act on our faith. When we see one of our fellow Christians staying content, encourage them! Instead of gossiping about another person or putting them down, we need to uplift them and show them Christ’s love. Everywhere and everyday I hear so much gossip and tearing other people down, this does NOTHING for Jesus, yourself, or the other person. All three parties involved are hurt . What gives us the right to ruin someone’s day? Instead of snapping at your co-worker or friend or a random stranger, smile and show them Christ’s love; emulate his patience. Think of the patience God has with us all the time.
If we are being candles of Jesus in this world we will be doing as the later part of the passage said. When we rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks for everything, we are being lights for Jesus. When we refuse to listen to a degrading song or watch a degrading movie, we are being His lights. When we encourage someone, smile at someone, help out someone in need: we are being his lights. The title of this section in the Bible was “Vigilance”. This means “keeping watch for possible danger or difficulties”. Don’t make things harder on yourself by going to the party where you will be tempted, watching a movie with sexual material, or listening to music that only degrades. We need to be watching for danger. Avoid the near occasion of sin so that your candle may stay brightly burning for the Lord. Let’s pray to the Holy Spirit for conviction on what we need to work on in our lives, so that we may see our faults and know what is displeasing to the Lord. Avoiding these things allows us to more clearly hear what the Lord is saying to us, and leads us to a deeper union with Him.

Mother Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Peace and blessings to you all,
Kelsey