Reflection on Mt 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
During the previous two weeks, we reflected on the Scripture verse from Acts 1:8: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In other words, we are called to bear witness to others, as we discussed in the short reflection on witnessing. This means being witnesses, or martyrés, like the apostles, even at the cost of persecution, ridicule or the loss of our lives. We must be witnesses to the living Jesus, who was crucified and rose from the dead! For forty days after His resurrection, He appeared not only to the apostles, but also to several hundred other people, thereby proving His divinity.
We now have two weeks to continue the idea of witnessing. We can revisit some of the truths from the previous reflection, which contains many Scripture quotations. It also contains instructions on how to witness in practice through our words and actions. We will now consider how to bear witness through our lives. Jesus encourages us to do so: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
What is that light that should shine before men? The light of Christ’s truth, which we have received into our hearts and put it in practice in concrete situations, setting a good example for others. Parents educate their children more by example than by words. As the saying goes, ‘Actions speak louder than words.’ Someone may talk very well about faith and about Jesus, but their lives and bad habits contradict their words. And that is a great pity. This is why it is important to set a good example to our neighbours through patience, forgiveness, a willingness to help, advise and encourage, share their pain and give good advice. We should show them through our lives that we take God and His laws seriously by trying to keep and respect them. Seeing our good life, people should glorify our Father. Our life is actually an advertisement for our Heavenly Father. Those weak in faith can be encouraged to trust in Him. For those who have no faith we may be a stepping stone to reflect on their life and seek the way to God. Without God, man cannot be happy on earth, and will be unhappy for all eternity. Even if no one praises or acknowledges us, even if people ridicule us, we must bear witness to God through our lives. There is witness by word and witness by life. Both are necessary.
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