“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 26:1/27:1) In a world replete with sin and confusion, the Lord illuminates our path, revealing the way to righteousness and truth. His light dispels the shadows of doubt and fear, enabling us to walk confidently in His grace. He serves as our guiding light amid the darkness. The psalmist is not merely alluding to deliverance from earthly troubles; he speaks of our ultimate salvation and how it rests in the hands of the Almighty. In Jesus Christ, we discover the source of our redemption, the one who liberates us from the bondage of sin and opens the gates of eternal life.

The Church holds in high esteem the Apostolic teachings and traditions handed down through the ages. Our faith is anchored in the mysteries of the Holy Mass, the sacraments, and our liturgical heritage. Through these sacred elements, we draw closer to the light of Christ and partake in the salvation He offers. In times of darkness, may we turn to the Lord, our true light, seeking His guidance and wisdom. In moments of struggle, let us trust in His saving grace, knowing that He is the source of our strength and the anchor of our hope.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Christ’s words echo the sentiment expressed in the psalm, demonstrating that our source of light is not merely a guiding force but a person—our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. As Catholics, we recognise the centrality of Christ in our faith, and His light becomes the beacon that guides us through the complexities of our earthly pilgrimage.

The teaching about salvation through Christ transcends the temporal challenges we face; it speaks to the salvation of our very souls. St. Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, reminds us that “if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). This confession is a wholehearted acknowledgment of the life-changing power of Christ’s resurrection in our lives. In the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, we actively witness the living Christ, the source of our light and salvation. The liturgy, with its sacred rites and traditions, connects us to the mysteries of our faith, allowing us to partake in the saving grace of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. We cherish these moments of real communion with our Lord, recognising that through the Eucharist, we receive not only His body and blood but also the light that dispels the darkness of sin.

I pray that each of us will commit ourselves to always live as children of the light. May our actions, guided by the example of Jesus and the teachings of the Church, bear witness to the power of His light and the hope that comes through our salvation in Him. May each of us continually seek the light of Christ in our lives and embrace the salvation He freely offers. (Rev. Fr. Charles Allen)