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from Robert Tyrała

May the light of Jesus dwell in us forever

2009-07-11

May the light of Jesus dwell in us forever
The 35th International Congress of Pueri Cantores in Stockholm,
St. Benedict, patron saint of Europe, 11 July 2009

Our Christian vocation consists in the truth that in every situation of our life we carry in us the light of Jesus. This light has been shining since the moment we were born and it will shine till our death. It has been shining since our holy baptism – when we were anointed with holy chrism – the ritual which made us be chosen by God. It has made us reflect the image of God in our hearts. It is an indelible mark to denote the fact that we have been chosen and called for salvation. This light illuminates many dark spaces of everyday life. This light gives hope, strength and power. People walking, standing next to us or listening to us can even more clearly see Jesus Himself thanks to this strength we carry in ourselves – the Image, the Icon of God Himself. We are His children and His sanctuary. He truly dwells in us. And we radiate with His light. St. Benedict, patron saint and teacher of Europe, and today’s patron, too, reputedly said the following words: ora et labora (pray and work). This short rule, just today, touches our life vocation. We have Jesus’ light in us and our everyday chores should be permeated with prayer and work. May St. Benedict’s words be a special lodestar. St. Benedict was a great defender of European culture, the culture we live by. May he be our special patron. Let me present here a certain story which personally for me is of a great significance and a reminder, kind of “for good memory”; maybe also for you it will become a lodestar for the future. One professor, while finishing his lecture, asked the students the following question: Is everything clear now, do you have any questions? Nobody had, all the students nodded their heads to show that they had understood the lecture. Yet one of the students who felt encouraged by the professor asked: Sir, where do you find the sense of life? The professor pondered for a moment, took a wallet out of his pocket and a piece of mirror out of it. And he began this story. Well, when I was a small child, which was during the war, I got this piece of mirror from my Mum. I was very happy with it. I went into many nooks and corners to bring sun light into them by my mirror. Especially there where the sun light never reached. … When I grew up I realised that my mirror has also another meaning for me. I realised that I am also a piece of God’s mirror. And this is thanks to me that the light of Jesus Gospel can reach even the darkest corners of people’s hearts. I can bring His strength and warmth wherever I am through my actions, through my work. Through my love towards another man and through mercy shown to the poor. This is where I find the sense of life. I carry this small bit of the mirror always with me so that it would remind me of it. To carry the light of Jesus in our lives, to bring it wherever it is lacking means to bring – through continually progressing faith, through hope which is never doubted, through love towards God and towards every man – the values which He Himself preached to everyone. To those who are close and those who are far from us. To those whom we love and to those whom we cannot value and thank. It is our vocation to discover the image of God in us. To carry the light of Jesus which we all possess – my dear Pueri Cantors – the conductors, the choristers and our families. Through our beautiful and well prepared singing during liturgy, concerts and rehearsals, through our everyday love, through small everyday steps do we carry the light of Jesus in us. Let us never falter on this way. Let us always sing for the glory of God and for the welfare of man. Let God sing in us and through us. Lord, we ask You, may Your light dwell in us forever!

Fr. Robert Tyrała, PhD
Ecclesiastical Assistant of The International Federation of Pueri Cantores

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