St. Paul gives us some good imagery to ponder in the Liturgy this Sunday. “You are not in darkness for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day.” It is a scary experience to have a thief break into our home or car or bank account. We are left with a feeling of being violated.
Pope Francis uses the imagery of a thief in his letter The Joy of the Gospel. He repeats a refrain again and again: “Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed.” He cautions us not to let the “thief” rob us of the joy of the gospel, hope, Christian community, love, and the thrill of the gospel message. There are all kinds of thieves around us and within us that can rob us of what we hold dear as followers of the Risen Christ.
How would you name some of these thieves? What helps you to be aware of the thief in the dark of night? What helps you to keep living in the light of Christ?