email : Webview : Light from The Bluff: Issue VI

September 2017 · Issue VI

Scripture Reflection

Yes, you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. (2 Sam. 22:29)

One of the beauties of the Christian scriptures is their inherent adaptability. They speak so deeply to our human experience that words written millennia ago maintain their meaning, even today.

We live in a time of darkness. This is true when we look outward: to war and violence, to hunger and thirst, to members of our human family being so deeply mistreated and maligned. Indeed, the same is true as we look inward: we live in a time when depression and anxiety are more common than ever. Our time is one of darkness.

Even as this darkness is real and true and present among and inside us, we know we have a light in which we can trust. As we hear in the beautiful words of David in the Second Book of Samuel (and repeated by the Psalmist in Psalm 18), the Lord is the source of light, even in the face of darkness — God is like a lamp. Lamps light our paths, offer safety and security, and can serve as a beacon to others.

But lamps are carried by someone; we as Christians are called to carry this lamp into the world of darkness. We personally can be bolstered by God’s light, but we can also be lamp-carriers and reflect this light out to the world. Think of some particular sources of darkness in your life where you might be able to bring light; think of a friend, a colleague, a loved one, or anyone else who might be in need of some light. You can bring God’s light to these people in their everyday lives in simple acts of kindness, attention, and love.

- Noah Banks '16

Would you like to contribute a scripture reflection for an upcoming issue of Light from The Bluff? Email alumni@up.edu for more information.

Fractio Verbi

In his weekly Fractio Verbi podcast, Fr. Charlie Gordon, C.S.C., breaks open each Sunday's readings in 4-6 minute reflections:

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Best of

Portland Magazine

"Francis & Francis"

by Timothy Egan

How a pope and a saint changed the world, one heart at a time.

Read here.

Meet our C.S.C.s

Name: Rev. Mark Ghyselinck, C.S.C.

Hometown: South Bend, Indiana

Years as a C.S.C.: 60 (first profession of vows in 1957)

Assignment at UP: I am a lecturer in the Performing and Fine Arts department – primarily teaching painting.

Favorite Scripture Passage: From the first letter of John – 1John 4:16 “God is love…”

Favorite Saint: St. Francis of Assisi

What made you choose the Congregation of Holy Cross?
I grew up in a Holy Cross parish and liked the men who were our parish priests, so when I thought about becoming a priest, Holy Cross was my natural choice.

What is one way you see God’s light in everyday life?
I think that I see God’s light in people – especially my friends in Holy Cross, and in the beauty of nature.

What are your hobbies?
My hobbies are golf and fishing, and luckily for me one of my favorite hobbies is painting – and that is part of my job.

What is your favorite thing about UP?
The local Holy Cross community with whom I live. UP is a good university to teach at and our students are good people to work with, but my favorite thing about UP is the presence of some of my Holy Cross friends here.

alumni@up.edu | 503.943.73285000 N. Willamette Blvd., Portland, OR 97203

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