Cats’ body temperatures are higher than the human average. So when we feel warm, they may feel comfortable, and when we feel comfortable, they may feel cold. They need more molecules moving in their environment to meet their metabolism rate and feel at home. Sunlight generates warmth by moving molecules of air more quickly than they do in colder and darker conditions. Light and its warmth are friends of cats.
The light of Christ is our friend. Like the sun, when it shines it brings warmth to those it touches, and those who bear this light do the same. A bright smile coming from the heart can invite others closer. A comforting look or friendly gesture can break the ice of a strange or threatening situation. An act of kindness can melt a person who is angry or distressed. These are all ways that Christ shines through us, and they make all the difference in how we deal with each other, speak to each other, or regard each other.
Pope Francis has shown the power of this light when he passes through a crowd or meets with people. People encounter a genuine, caring human being in this successor of Peter, and through this lens, they see more than a man. They see the Spirit of God using our personal encounters to shine grace and blessing on those who meet in Christ’s name. As Pope Francis himself has said, it’s not about him. It is about how God is showing Himself to others through him.
How well do we take seriously that we are instruments of God for others? If we refuse to be bearers of light and warmth in our human relationships, God doesn’t have a chance to be seen and known. The darkness and cold of a harsh and violent world block people from seeing God’s love in their midst and feeling its warmth in their souls. God can’t touch others without our help. Our witness to God’s goodness, joy and peace changes the atmosphere around us and those we encounter at work, at home, or in social situations. We don’t have to say a word. People pick it up in the movement of spiritual molecules they feel when God’s presence is allowed to change the way we deal with each other.
Baxter knows that the light is friendly. He seeks out its warmth and comfort. Unless we bring Christ’s light--not our own egotistical glow--to others, they will go elsewhere, looking for warmth in this harsh and dreadful world. God’s love is warm and inviting. Don’t stand in its way, but be a beam of its light for others.
-Monsignor Statnick
