The Bishop's Perspective - Let the Light of Christ Shine Through You

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” — 1 Peter 2:9

This is truly my favorite time of year as we witness the rebirth of nature around us: the robin eggs, the daffodils, the worms, the birds chirping in the early morning and the longer days of sunlight. And this spring, we are also beginning to emerge from the darkness and challenges caused by the awful pandemic. We are finally able to experience activities and events that we have not been able to enjoy in more than a year — going out to eat, hugging a family member or, what I hope is at the top of your list, returning to your parish to celebrate Holy Mass.

We also just celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost (May 23), and I ask you to join me in praying that now, more than ever, we will be inspired and ignited with the same Fire of the Holy Spirit and with the enthusiasm the first apostles had on the original Pentecost. I love imagining what that first Pentecost must have been like, the first ones to receive the Holy Spirit’s Gifts. How alive they must have felt, a true rebirth. And how creative those first apostles had to be in discerning new ways to go out to proclaim the good news. It was both an exciting, and an extremely daunting, mission.

And, my sisters and brothers — their mission is also our mission! We need to be creative and to figure out a new plan to ensure that we are being faithful to the mission that Jesus has entrusted to his Church. In the words of St. Peter, how do we proclaim the excellencies of him and call people out of darkness? How can we “bring people to his marvelous light” in ways that they will hear and respond to in ways that people who are not coming to Church and who may still find themselves in the darkness can be inspired to embrace Jesus’ good news of salvation?

In other words, if they’re not coming to Church, how can the Church go to them? And we are the Church, the Body of Christ in the Diocese of Kalamazoo.

This past year, we’ve witnessed all the creative ways people found to share their faith from videos, to podcasts, to ZOOM choir performances. This past spring, I was surprised to learn that I reached my seventh anniversary of “tweeting” @BishopPBradley, something I started back in 2014 after our Diocesan Communications team hosted a “Digital Church Conference.” Close to 2,000 followers and 5,000 plus tweets later, it’s become a daily practice to some reflection — one small, creative way to share Jesus’ good news.

That’s really what Pope Francis means when he says that we Catholics need to be “missionary disciples.” Maybe tweeting isn’t your choice — that’s fine. But each of us can find some creative way to share our faith, from a TikTok video, to volunteering hours packing food for those in need or writing letters of encouragement. Whatever it is, bring the Church to those who need it. Let the Light of Christ shine through you.

And if you don’t know where to start, ask the Holy Spirit. Jesus didn’t give us a “one-size-fits-all Pastoral Plan” that works in all circumstances, and he certainly didn’t just leave us to figure it all out on our own. The same Power and Grace that Jesus gave the first apostles and the early Church, is the same Power and Grace that Jesus gives to us through the seven-fold Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord). These are the tools we need to use for our mission.

My dear Sisters and Brothers, we have been sent to enthusiastically bring this amazing, life-changing Good News of the Risen Jesus to people who desperately need to hear it or see it through “the Church,” that is through the good example and loving deeds of each of our lives. How will you be Jesus’ Light to someone today?