As both the first and second readings say, God acts to bring the light of salvation and consolation to God’s people. Where do I experience salvation in my life? How are my burdens lifted?

We know that we live in a divided nation. Politically we are not all on the same page. Economically, racially, ethnically, and religiously, Americans do not share the same perspective or the same reality. Some live in gated communities, others sleep on subway grates.

When Jesus got word that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee. He moved from his hometown, Nazareth, to the lakeside village Capernaum, nestled at the base of the Zebulun and Naphtali hills.

The first vocation invitation or call that I received was from my father. It was my junior year in college and I had yet to declare a major.

In the movie Home Alone, 8-year-old Kevin McCallister acted surprisingly brave—except when it came to going down into his basement. He was frozen with fear when he had to descend into his spooky basement with its strange sounds, eerie shadows, and monstrous furnace with air ducts flailing out like the arms of a giant squid.

Most of us can probably count among our friends or acquaintances the professional job-hopper. That’s the person who moves from one good job to another, always open to the next offer that promises more.

The Lord is our light and our salvation. We ask for the grace to receive and reflect that light to the world around us.

You will know your vocation by the joy that it brings you.