After Christmas time we entered ordinary time, but the theme of light continues to accompany our steps. The light that illuminated the darkness on the extraordinary night of the nativity must now continue to radiate in the ordinariness of our day. “The Lord is my light and my salvation: / of whom will I be afraid?”, So we pray on this Sunday with Psalm 26 (27). The light, which illuminates the path by freeing us from fear, we meet today in particular in the luminous gaze of Jesus, who rests on us as he has settled on the first disciples, calling them to follow him. It is the light of Jesus’ compassionate gaze that “traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, announcing the gospel of the Kingdom and healing all sorts of diseases and infirmities in the people”. Now truly, in this gaze that sees, free from fear and evil, it calls to a newness of life, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light”. It knows one last fruitfulness, remembered by Saint Paul: it overcomes the darkness of our divisions, to lead us in the communion of one belonging, that of Christ the Lord: we are his by virtue of the illumination of baptism. In recent days we have prayed for Christian unity. We continue to do so illuminated by the light of baptism and the Gospel.

Commentary by Comunità di Dumenza

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves, Prinknash Abbey