“When someone has a vice we should try to bombard him/her with rays of love and compassion so that he/she may be cured and freed. These things are achieved only through the grace of God. Think that this person is suffering more than you… we must adopt an attitude of care, respect, and prayer.”

- St Porphyrios, Wounded by Love, pg 183. 

Reflection: 

Imagine being a ray of light for someone in darkness. Our light is our gifts of love, patience and compassion. How might their outlook change? How might we feel?  

When we give our light in the face of darkness, we open the door (and keep it open) to growth, healing, and repentance for everyone involved. 

Christ sacrificed Himself for us in the face of (and for) all of our faults and sins, so we must emulate Christ’s love for His Church in all of our interactions. When someone is going down a bad path or acts toward us in negative ways - we are called to choose empathy(1), even when we do not feel like it, and our feelings will follow. 

This is very difficult to achieve, and we must constantly ask for God’s help along the way. 

Let us strive to choose empathy with all people, in all situations, so that we may follow in the footsteps of Christ and the Apostles and be the light of Christ in the world.(2)  As Christ’s light, let us become beacons of healing, keeping the door open for growth for everyone and ourselves.

Resources:

1) Matthew 5:44

2) Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."