The readings for today shed light on my personal theme for 2020, which is to “look for the light” in my life and to better focus the light of Christ for others to see. I have always loved the passage where Isaiah says, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” These days, I am acutely aware of the many ways in which people experience despair: personally, professionally, and politically. It can be a huge burden to be open to the pain of others in our lives, as well as the pain of all humanity. But we can take on the big task of helping to dispel the darkness with the light of Christ. In fact, we must. It is the call to discipleship for each of us who experience that light to share it in our private and public relationships with others.
Now, it is not our job to solve all those problems, but rather to shed the light of Christ on them so that people will have greater insights into all these problems. Still, sharing that light can be a daunting task at every level. But why should we be afraid? The Psalmist sings, “The Lord is my light and my salvation,” with joy, hope, and courage. The Lord is our refuge, so why should we fear? In-the-midst of a world that holds great gloom and despair, we can focus instead on the bounty of the Lord in our lives and the lives of others.
Yet, there is difficulty ahead, reminds Paul, in focusing the light of Christ. Well we know that it is so easy to take different positions in the way we think about how our problems should be solved, personally, professionally, and politically. Paul reminds us that it is not about the wisdom of human eloquence. It is about the humility of the cross. That is helpful, but what helps me most to focus on the light of Christ today are Matthew’s focus on what Jesus proclaimed regarding living in the Kingdom of God. Jesus was about healing diseases. In my experience, the greatest disease we have in our world today is the disease of hate. It cuts through families, communities, and nations. It has placed the world in great darkness.
Jesus understands this. He knows our darkness and how much it brings us to despair and death. He calls us to repent, or turn away, to focus away from the darkness and to focus on the light, which is the kingdom of heaven in our midst. Look for the light! In this new year, I pray that we will draw on the courage of our faith to share the Gospel light of Christ with others. We can share the good news that the kingdom of heaven is indeed at hand!
Barbara Dilly
I came to Creighton in 2000 and retired in 2020. My twenty years of teaching, research and service in the Jesuit tradition enhanced my own life. It was an exciting time of celebration. I loved teaching and interacting with Creighton students because they responded so eagerly to the Ignatian pedagogical emphasis on the development of the whole person. It is this spirit of whole person development and celebration of life that I hope to infuse in my reflection writings.
My academic background is eclectic, preparing me well for the Liberal Arts academic environment at Creighton. I earned my BA in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA in 1988 and my Ph.D. in Comparative Cultures from the University of California, Irvine in 1994. My research focused on rural communities in the American Midwest, Latin America, and Australia. I taught Environmental Anthropology, Qualitative Research Methods, Social and Cultural Theory, and Food Studies courses.
I retired to Shell Rock, a small rural community in Northeast Iowa where I enjoy gardening, cooking, quilting, driving my 65 Impala convertible an my 49 Willys Jeepster. I have lots of fun playing my guitars with friends from the Cedar Valley Acoustic Guitar Association. But most importantly, I am still working to make my community and rural America a better place. I host a community quilt studio and serve on the Mission Board of my church. I also serve as the Climate Committee Chair and on the Executive Board of the Center for Rural Affairs.
