Saint Alphonsus Mary de’ Liguori, Bishop, Doctor
Gospel – Matthew 5:13-19
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house”. Today is the feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, who is the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, popularly known as the Redemptorists, in order to follow the example of Jesus Christ announcing the Good News to the poor and the most abandoned. Alphonsus was a lover of beauty: musician, painter, poet and author. He put all his artistic and literary creativity at the service of the mission, and he asked the same of those who joined his Congregation. This goes with the message of the Gospel in which Jesus calls us to be light of the world. How can we put our light on the top? This can be done when we can put the love for the other on the top of our every action. Often our actions are projections of ourselves. We will be lamps put on the lampstand when we can put our love for the others above our love for ourselves. Even our good actions when they are projection of ourselves will become like a lamp put under a tub. When we put our love for others on the top of our actions, our actions will become light for others. Let’s reflect: What is on the top of my actions, my love for myself or my love for others?
Don Giorgio