Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
The gospel today notes the words of Jesus who reminded his listeners that a lamp is meant to be seen not hidden under a basket or under a bed. Museums are filled with lamps from the time of Jesus. They are small clay vessels that held a wick which led into a small container of oil. The lamp was small, and the light was barely enough to shed some illumination for walking at night. But even in its insignificance it made a difference. So often we think that if we can’t do something great, we can do nothing. The image in today’s gospel reminds us that what is small and insignificant can make a big difference when everything around us seems dark.