BE SALT TO THE EARTH AND LIGHT TO THE WORLD
The titular call to all Christians is to be salt to the earth and light to the world. As such, the Christian life of prayer and spirituality is not all about what we want God to do for us, it is fundamentally about what God wants us to do, for Him, for others and ourselves. In a world of titleholders, Christ calls or invites us to be the Salt of the Earth and Light of the World.
OUR THEME
The common theme of today’s three readings is our two-fold mission to the world: to be salt and to be the light. Today´s Gospel reading calls invites and challenges us to be the salt of the earth and light of the world.
According to James (James 1:27), the Christian cannot withdraw from the world, but, he or she must keep himself or herself “unstained from the world”.
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 58: 7-10
In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah 58: 7-10, he suggests some ways of living a good life as Christians such as sharing your bread with the hungry and bringing the homeless poor into your house; clothing the naked, bringing light, healing and glory of the Lord to the world and as such to be salt and light of the world.
On this practical note, for Isaiah 58:7-10 our world is hungry, poor, homeless, naked and under the yoke of evil influences and dominations. Hence, goodness and holiness are not simply to think nice thoughts or having nice sentiments. The Christian life is a practical living of charity and services to others.
Hence, to be right in God’s sight we must share our blessings with the poor and needy among us. Only then shall we shine as sons and daughters of God.
SECOND READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 2: 1-5.
In Paul’s letter to the people of Corinth, he speaks of his reliance on the power of God. Much-needed wisdom to overcome the world as a shiny light or salty flavour to the world of faith, grace and love.
St. Paul drives home this point he emphasises the Christian life is no mere articulation of doctrine and dogmas, nor the speculation of human ideologies. Neither is it wishful thinking or nice emotional feelings. It is a concrete life lived in the crucified Christ who is the Wisdom and Power of God.
Therefore, we are saved by the sacrifice of Jesus, and not by our own merits. Being salt or light to the world does not require the eloquence of human wisdom but a humble submission to the grace of God.
THE GOSPEL: MATTHEW. 5: 13-16
The Gospel demand of this Sunday is for us to be SALT to the earth and LIGHT to the world. Now, what do salt and light do or represent?
Salt is used to preserve and prevent something from going bad. It is also used to spice food to taste and flavour.
While Light as tiny as it may be influence and overcome darkness to shine. No matter the darkness, the little tiniest light always shines and is never hidden.
Practically, then, Jesus does not only want to preserve the earth from deteriorating as salt but also as light to influence the world positively.
IMAGERIES OF SALT AND LIGHT
Salt had two purposes in the Middle East in the first century of Jesus’ time. First, because of the lack of refrigeration, salt was used to preserve food, especially meat, which would quickly spoil in the desert environment.
Believers in Christ are preservatives to the world, preserving it from the evil inherent in the society of ungodly men whose unredeemed natures are corrupted by sin (Psalm 14:3; Romans 8:8).
Second, salt was used then, as now, as a flavour enhancer. In the same way, salt enhances the flavour of the food it seasons. The followers of Christ stand out as those who “enhance” the taste of life in this world.
In the analogy of light to the world, the good works of Christ’s followers are to shine for all to see. The idea here is similar—the presence of light in the darkness is unmistakable.
The presence of Christians in the world must be like a light in the darkness, not only in the sense that the truth of God’s Word brings light to the darkened hearts of sinful man (John 1:1-10), but also in the sense that our good deeds must be evident for all to see.
In the gospel of Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth and the light of the world. As salt, we are to add our salty flavour to the Christian life.
THERE ARE THREE QUALITIES OF A SALT A GOOD CHRISTIAN NEED TO APPLY IN HIS OR HER LIFE
1. The purity of salt in its glistening whiteness makes it the purest of all things. , if the Christian is to be the salt of the earth he must be an example of purity in actions, words and thoughts.
2. In the ancient world salt was the commonest of all preservatives. It was used to keep things from going bad, that is it preserves and keeps them fresh. So then salt preserves from corruption. If the Christian is to be the salt of the earth, he must have a certain antiseptic influence on life.
3. The greatest and the most obvious quality of salt is that salt lends flavour to things. Food without salt is sadly insipid and even a sickening thing. Christianity is to live what salt is to food. Christianity lends flavour to life. The Christian life brings love to hate, sweetness to bitterness, forgiveness to lack of forgiveness, a joy to sadness, positivity to negativity, healing to hurts, self-giving to selfishness, service to authoritativeness, and so on.
AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, CHRISTIANS HAVE LET THE LIGHT OF LIGHT: JESUS CHRIST SHINE IN US AND THROUGH US TO THE WORLD OF MANY DARKNESS AND SHADES. THIS IMPLIES:
1. A light is first and foremost something which is meant to be seen and not hidden and it cannot be obstructed. Our Christianity, Christian life and living should be perfectly visible to all men within and outside the Church.
2. A light is a guide. Light is something to make clear the way. So then a Christian must make the way clear to others. That is, a Christian must live and lead an exemplary life of goodness, love and grace.
3. The tiniest light dispels the thickest darkness. That is, light is always light no matter what. A Christian cannot be light and darkness at the time or interchangeably light at one point and darkness at another.
The greatest lesson of today´s readings and celebration is that as the salt of the earth and light of the world. All men and women must see our good deeds and these must give glory to God and not us.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Light of the world. As we humbly acknowledge that the power to be salt of the earth and light of the world is in the Holy Spirit: the Power of God at work in us. Help us never to lose our saltiness or radiance amid a challenging world of darkness and evil. May your grace be a shining light in the darkness of the world and add salty flavour to the tastelessness of life on the earth. Amen
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