“Let it shine! Let it shine!” Jesus reminds us not to hide our light under a bushel basket, but to set it on a lampstand, where it can give light to all. How appropriate this Gospel is on World Marriage Day (& week). There is nothing more uplifting than when you see a married couple deeply in love. Because when the two become one starting on their wedding day, their light shines everywhere. They reflect a glow that illuminates Christ’s presence. Isn’t it true that when we are around such a married couple, we experience an indescribable calming presence. You seem to breathe easier around them. We feel that we can let our guard down, feel safe and give ourselves permission to be authentic and vulnerable. What a gift to all of us; what a beautiful witness to the Church. In a very mysterious way, when I meet married people like Christ described, those who let their light shine, I feel stronger as a priest! I think it is because it helps me see what real, everyday love looks like. So often when I preach about the light of Christ, I imagine the special couples I have met over the years. In our Catholic teaching of the Sacraments, little do people know that Matrimony is one of the two sacraments of ministry. In other words, what most often happens when a husband and wife nurture their love and marriage, their light shines out as a ministry to those in darkness. This light is so much needed today. The darkness of secularism and materialism abound in our culture. Often young people who are good Christians and contemplating marriage, get their anxiety raised by money concerns: the house to buy, the security needs for future children, the high paying jobs that are hard to find. While these are important concerns, they often dominate the hearts of the couples considering Christian marriage. Their light is put under a bushel basket. They need to listen to the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Share your bread with the hungry; clothe the naked when you see them; and do not turn your back on your own; then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall be healed!” In other words, our “wound” which is fear and worry, will be alleviated and our light will shine brightly to others. If that can happen, the happiest marriages on this planet will become a reality for that couple! And for the world they live in! ~ Fr. John