Take time to reflect on Jesus’ words: You are the light of the world!
By Bishop Mark Beckman
As we enter 2026 in this time of a new year, my mind goes back to the humble beginnings of Jesus’ own ministry in Galilee. I will never forget the first time I arrived there and saw it with my own eyes.
The Mount of Beatitudes in particular struck me. It is a humble mountain (more like a hill for those of us in East Tennessee!) that overlooks the entire Sea of Galilee.
It slopes gently down to the water’s edge. One can well imagine Jesus sitting at the top of that hill, gathering disciples around Him as He gives His first major sermon in the Gospel of Matthew. The multitudes sloping down the hill would have heard His words well. (Interestingly, Luke situates the sermon on a level stretch, and one can well imagine Jesus at the bottom of the hill speaking from the water’s edge to the crowd above.)
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) has been called a “handbook in Christian living,” and it is said that Gandhi read it twice each day.
I remember celebrating Mass with a small group of pilgrims as I read the Beatitudes (blessed are the poor in spirit, the sorrowing, the lowly, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who show mercy, are pure of heart, peacemakers, persecuted for the sake of righteousness) as I gazed at the Sea of Galilee below.
Should these not be the qualities that shape our individual lives in this new year, and should these not be the qualities that shape our culture and world today?
We live in a time when the opposing qualities seem to dominate public life. Warmaking, divided hearts, pride, gloating, lack of mercy toward the most vulnerable, hunger, and thirst for more earthly stuff seem to be the currency of our day.
I see the loving face of Jesus speaking these words not only to His original disciples but to each of us: “Love your enemies, pray for your persecutors…turn and offer the other cheek…do not lay up for yourselves earthly treasures…stop worrying about tomorrow…treat others the way you would have them treat you…be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect…” The words of Jesus are a map that heals the human heart from the darkness that cripples human dignity.
I invite us as a People of the Lord in this new year to make the Sermon on the Mount our touchstone for personal and communal reflection. It is so clear to me that Jesus deeply desires that we bring this Gospel to the world.
After beginning His public ministry with the Beatitudes, He looks at His disciples and speaks these words: “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a bushel basket. They set it on a stand where it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, your light must shine before all that they may see the goodness in your acts and give praise to your heavenly Father…”
Dear sisters and brothers, you are light for the world! Take time in this new year, day by day, to ponder and reflect on these words of Jesus. Allow His presence and light to heal the darkness in your own hearts, to transform the desires that are not humble and pure, so that His light may radiate in you more clearly this year.
May this light shine forth from all of our communities and bring the healing rays of the Lord’s own light to all people everywhere, especially to those most in need.
May God bless you as disciples and bearers of His light in this new year.