The Memorial if St Andrew Kim Tægon and companions

Ezra 1:1-6, Lk. 8:16-18. There are two extremes on the spectrum of human attitudes in seeking publicity that we must avoid. At one end are those who advocates for show-off. At the other end are those who are hyper-shy. There are also those who, not because they are hyper-shy, but because of a misguided sense of humility, hide their achievements and their talents. In today's Gospel, Jesus addresses this type of pseudo-humility. As children of light, gifted with a variety of talents and with the light of faith, vision and talents that are given to us in trust to be stewards of God, cannot afford to dig a hole to hide our talents and light. Allowing our good works to be seen is not against humility, but parading them for applause would be against humility and this is the show-off attitude at one end of the spectrum. Instead of hiding our light, the Lord urges us to let your good works appear: so they can see your good works and praise your Heavenly Father, not so they can praise you.

Without a show-off attitude today's first reading places Cyrus of Persia as not only the liberator of the exiles in Babylon, but also as the force behind the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews would never have expected a foreign king to be the God-sent source of freedom and rebuilding in their lives. As Cyrus releases the Jews from their slavery, he sends them back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. They are to be assisted in the rebuilding by their former masters who are directed to contribute gold, silver and other gifts. In the same way, Saints Andrew Kim Taegǒn, Paul Chong Hasang and companions whose memorial we celebrate today, made the light of Christ visible by the virtue of their lives. At that time, Christians were heavily persecuted by the government of the Joseon-era Korea, as the foreign missionaries, the Christian faith and the local converts were seen as treasonous and undesirable elements of the society which needed to be rooted out and which led to a bitter campaign of intense persecution of Christians much like what happened during the first centuries of the Church.

May the Lord help us to be open to the divine light shining upon us especially during dark times and be a source of reflecting God’s light upon others as they go through gloomy times! Amen!! Good morning and have a successful and spirit filled week!!!