In this weekend’s readings and psalm, the prevailing theme
is that of light: We are the light of the world; our light
breaks forth like the dawn; our light shines in the darkness;
our light reflects generosity and justice. Good stewards
know they are the lamp, and Christ is the flame that,
through them, illuminates the earth. They know that they
carry Christ’s light in their hearts, and let it shine through
their words and deeds. What are we doing to shine Christ’s
light on the hungry, the homeless and others most in need
of God’s mercy? How do we exercise good stewardship
over the light of Christ that burns within each of us?

February is a transitional month,
especially with Ordinary Time ending
on the 21st at the doorstep of Ash
Wednesday, February 22, and the
season of Lent. Many of us also begin
to hope that spring will be around the
next corner. The first seed catalog we
find in the mail reminds us this must
be true, yet we know it’s not time to
turn the soil. We wait in the quiet of
late winter.

What better time than February,
before Lent and the advent of
spring, to settle in for some reading
and praying with sacred scripture?
February can be a quiet time of patient
reflection for the Christian steward.
The psalms, like so many biblical
passages, remind us of the benefits of
reading God’s word: “Your word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path” (Ps 119:105).

Our liturgical year offers us a
wonderful pathway to the Bible by
providing Lectionary readings for each
day. Our Sunday Gospel readings this
year come to us mainly from Saint
Matthew. In the month of February
we have an opportunity to reflect on
Christ’s teachings in his Sermon on the
Mount with its hope-filled Beatitudes.
This Gospel is ideal for spending time
with the Lord in quiet meditation.
Stewardship of God’s Word: Reading the Bible
In the Gospel of Saint Matthew
Jesus gives us a guide to Christian
living. If you choose to read this great
book of the Bible, consider just one
episode in the Gospel each time you
read it. Put yourself into the scene.
See what words strike a chord in you.
Ask the Lord to help you know him
through the Gospel reading.
One of the hallmarks of Saint
Matthew’s Gospel is his emphasis
on discipleship and what it means to
follow Jesus. Christian stewards look
to this Gospel to gain new insights
into their journey of faith; and much
like the desires of gardeners, long for
the seeds of the Gospel, especially the
Beatitudes, to be planted in their own
hearts. Find some quiet time. Pick up
your Bible. And use God’s gift of these
quiet February days to deepen your
knowledge of Christ through sacred
scripture.