Luke 12: 1-7
Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered by the thousands, so that they trampled on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops.
“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
In the Light of Truth
What may sound like a dire threat is actually Jesus giving us some very wise words to live by:
“Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops.”
Who we truly are cannot be concealed for long. We live in a world that is obsessed with appearances and, with the help of social media, we have the ability to present ourselves in only our best light. We have all tried at one time or another to promote ourselves as more than we actually are, or simply a shiny, better version so that we might be liked, respected, or put on a pedestal of our own making. As one fabrication or embellishment lands on another, we can be bent over by their weight. In the shadows we come face to face with the secrets that can no longer be denied. Eventually the truth finds its way out and the exhausting burden can finally be released. God’s undying love and forgiveness washes us clean and as we bask in the light of truth we welcome a new day, embracing our authentic selves.
Our Jesuit roots have given us the opportunity to come clean with God on a daily basis. The Examen guides us through the act of removing the masks we may have tried on during the day to appear to be more than we are - smarter, kinder, better. We leave them behind and enter into a fresh start with each new day. What mask can you let go of today, knowing that God loves you just as you are?
—Tere Allen is a retired vice principal from Sacred Heart Nativity Schools in San Jose, California, who is now contemplating God through her Substack writing.
Prayer
What you hear in the dark
You must speak in the light
You are salt for the earth
You are light for the world
Let your light be seen
Stand against the night
Let your words of mercy tell
The glory of the Lord.
Amen
—Lyrics to “What You Hear in the Dark” by Dan Schutte, ©1975