February 9, 2020 Sunday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
2020년 2월 9일 연중 제5주일
오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp
제1독서
이사야서.58,7-10
주님께서 이렇게 말씀하신다.
7 “네 양식을 굶주린 이와 함께 나누고
가련하게 떠도는 이들을 네 집에 맞아들이는 것,
헐벗은 사람을 보면 덮어 주고 네 혈육을 피하여 숨지 않는 것이 아니겠느냐?
8 그리하면 너의 빛이 새벽빛처럼 터져 나오고 너의 상처가 곧바로 아물리라.
너의 의로움이 네 앞에 서서 가고 주님의 영광이 네 뒤를 지켜 주리라.
9 그때 네가 부르면 주님께서 대답해 주시고
네가 부르짖으면 ‘나 여기 있다.’ 하고 말씀해 주시리라.
네가 네 가운데에서 멍에와 삿대질과 나쁜 말을 치워 버린다면
10 굶주린 이에게 네 양식을 내어 주고 고생하는 이의 넋을 흡족하게 해 준다면
네 빛이 어둠 속에서 솟아오르고 암흑이 너에게는 대낮처럼 되리라.”
제2독서
코린토 1서.2,1-5
1 형제 여러분, 나는 여러분에게 갔을 때에,
뛰어난 말이나 지혜로 하느님의 신비를 선포하려고 가지 않았습니다.
2 나는 여러분 가운데에 있으면서
예수 그리스도 곧 십자가에 못 박히신 분 외에는
아무것도 생각하지 않기로 결심하였습니다.
3 사실 여러분에게 갔을 때에 나는 약했으며,
두렵고 또 무척 떨렸습니다.
4 나의 말과 나의 복음 선포는 지혜롭고 설득력 있는 언변으로 이루어진 것이 아니라,
성령의 힘을 드러내는 것으로 이루어졌습니다.
5 여러분의 믿음이 인간의 지혜가 아니라
하느님의 힘에 바탕을 두게 하려는 것이었습니다.
복음
마태오.5,13-16
그때에 예수님께서 제자들에게 말씀하셨다.
13 “너희는 세상의 소금이다.
그러나 소금이 제맛을 잃으면 무엇으로 다시 짜게 할 수 있겠느냐?
아무 쓸모가 없으니 밖에 버려져 사람들에게 짓밟힐 따름이다.
14 너희는 세상의 빛이다.
산 위에 자리 잡은 고을은 감추어질 수 없다.
15 등불은 켜서 함지 속이 아니라 등경 위에 놓는다.
그렇게 하여 집 안에 있는 모든 사람을 비춘다.
16 이와 같이 너희의 빛이 사람들 앞을 비추어,
그들이 너희의 착한 행실을 보고
하늘에 계신 너희 아버지를 찬양하게 하여라.”
February 9, 2020
Sunday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass
Reading 1
Thus says the LORD:
Share your bread with the hungry,
shelter the oppressed and the homeless;
clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!
If you remove from your midst
oppression, false accusation and malicious speech;
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (4a) The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
R. The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
R. The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
or:
R. Alleluia.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
His justice shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2
When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”
http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow
«You are the light of the world»
Fr. Josep FONT i Gallart
(Tremp, Lleida, Spain)
Today, the Gospel clearly urges us to become witness to Christ. And it invites us in two different ways, which, apparently, may look contradictory: the salt and the light.
The salt cannot be seen but can be perceived; it can be tasted, relished. There are many persons that “can hardly be perceived”, as they are like “little ants” working and doing good all the time. At their side one can savor peace, serenity and joy. As it is said at present, their “radiations” are good.
Light, instead, cannot be hidden. There are persons that “can be seen from afar”: St. Therese of Calcutta, the Pope, a parish's rector. They hold important positions because of their natural leadership or because of their concrete priesthood. They are “brought into the limelight”. As today's Gospel says «on top of a mountain» or on a «lamp stand» (cf. Mt 5:14-15).
We are all called to be salt and light. For over 30 years of his hidden life in Nazareth, Jesus himself was also “salt”. It is being said that, once, while he was playing, someone asked St. Aloysius Gonzaga what would he do if he knew that within a few minutes he would die. «I would keep on playing», he answered. He would go on carrying out his normal every- day's life, and making life pleasant for his play pals.
It may be we are called to be light. We are quite clearly so when we avow our own faith in difficult moments. Martyrs are great luminaries. And in certain environments, today, the mere fact of attending Mass may be the subject of jokes and general mockery. Going to Mass is already to be “light”. And light is always detected and seen, no matter how small it may be. A little light may change the night.
Let us pray to the Lord for one another that we always know how to be salt. And how to be light, if need be. That our daily chores are carried out in such a way that through our good deeds people may praise our Father who is in Heaven (cf. Mt 5:16).
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
This past Christmas, I was most struck by John 1:4-5:
“What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
The tiny votive candle flames around the tabernacle in our dark church after midnight Mass and the brilliant sunrise on my way in for Christmas morning Mass strengthened those words when I heard them. That image of a small but fierce light has stuck with me through the readings for this first part of Ordinary Time. Today that light “breaks forth like the dawn.” It “rises in the darkness, and the gloom shall become … like midday.” It “cannot be hidden” but “gives light to all the house.” The image of light undefeated by darkness gives me hope for the Church. If we are really trying to follow the Light, to follow Christ and discern what is of God, I believe we’ll be on the right track.
“I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom,” Paul wrote to the Corinthians. I often like the simple message best. In fact, I’m unlikely to trust someone if I feel like they’re selling me something, because I think they must be hiding something. I’m much more likely to trust them if I perceive that they’re telling it like it is; I suspect that’s what Paul was doing. He preached with the only words he had, unpolished but true. He lived his conviction of the truth of Christ.
That’s what saints do. Both the psalm and the Gospel today call us to live out our baptism, our participation in the life of Christ as his Body, in a public way: not hidden, secret, or private, but not exhibitionist, either. We are called to be foci of the Light not to draw attention to ourselves, but to point others towards Christ.
As a catechist, I attempted to answer a first-grader’s question about why saints have halos in paintings. The actual question was, “Why does St. Brigid have a pizza on her head?” (It was a rather orange halo with a gold border.) I said, “Remember how we talked about the Easter candle as the Light of Christ? The halo is a way to show in paintings that the light of Christ shone through that person’s life.” I’m sure you’ve heard the story I was thinking of for that simple image:
A parent and small child attend church together on a sunny morning. The child is fascinated by the people in the stained-glass windows. “Who are those people?” the child asks. The parent replies, “Those are the saints.” Later in religious ed, the catechist asks the child’s class, “Can anyone tell me who the saints are?” The child raises her hand and answers, “The saints are the ones the light shines through.”
The saints are the ones the Light shines through. Small, fierce, gentle, unmistakable, undefeated Light.
AMDG, folks.
(I usually leave you with a song. This is such is a good Sunday for songs that I couldn’t choose just one about light. Take your pick and explore!)
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
GOD'S WAYS OF HEALING | ||
| "Your wound shall quickly be healed." �Isaiah 58:8 | ||
In a world of suffering, pain, and brokenness, the Lord makes the amazing promise of quick healing. This promise, like many of the Lord's promises, is preceded and followed by several commands. The Lord commands us to fast in the right spirit and serve the basic needs of the poor (Is 58:6-7). Then He will fulfill several promises, if we are willing to respond to these graces by obeying further commands related to doing justice (Is 58:9ff). When we are hurting, we tend to want God to heal us so that we can return to the lifestyle that may have contributed to our sickness. However, the Lord wants our healing to be the centerpiece of major developments in our lives based on repentance, love, justice, and mercy. Will we accept healing on the Lord's terms? Will we let Him be Lord of our healing and Lord of our lives? Will we let the Lord tear down and restructure our lives through healing? Will you subordinate your healing to the Lord, the Healer? (see Mk 2:1ff) | ||
| Prayer: Father, I repent of making an idol of my lifestyle. I accept Jesus as my Lord. | ||
| Promise: "I determined that while I was with you I would speak of nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified." —1 Cor 2:2 | ||
| Praise: "The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus whom you put to death, hanging him on a tree" (Acts 5:30). Alleluia! |
http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
"You are the salt of the earth and light of the world"
Jesus used ordinary images, such as salt and light, to convey extraordinary truths that transform our minds, hearts, and lives. What does salt and light have to teach us about God and the transforming power of his kingdom? Salt was a valuable commodity in the ancient world. People traded with it, like we trade with valuable goods, such as gold and stock. Salt also served a very useful purpose, especially in warmer climates before the invention of electricity and refrigeration. Salt not only gave rich flavor to food, it also preserved food from going bad and being spoiled.
The salt of God's kingdom for all
Jesus used the image of salt to describe the transforming effect of God's work in our lives - and how the Holy Spirit wants to work through us to bring the power and blessing of God's kingdom to others. As salt purifies, preserves, and produces rich flavor for our daily food, we, too, as disciples of Jesus, are "salt" for the world of human society. The Lord wants to work in and through us to purify, preserve, and spread the rich flavor of God's kingdom everywhere - his "kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).
Don't lose your saltiness
What did Jesus mean by the ｅxpression "if salt has lost its taste... it is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot" (Matthew 5:13)? Salt in the ancient world was often put into ovens to intensify the heat. When the salt was burned off and no longer useful it was thrown out on the ground where it would easily get stepped on and swept away (Matthew 5:13). How can we lose our "saltiness"? When we allow the world, sin, and Satan to corrupt us. The Lord wants us to preserve our "saltiness" - through virtuous living and rejection of sin - not only for our own sake but also for the sake of others.
The aroma of Christ in the world
Paul the Apostle reminds us that we are called to be "the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16 ). Do you allow the fragrance of Christ's love, truth, and holiness to permeate every area of your life, your thoughts, words, actions, and relationships?
Light that shines for all to see
Jesus used the image of light and a lamp to further his illustration of God's transforming work in and through us. Lamps in the ancient world served a vital function, much like they do today. They enable people to see and work in the dark and to avoid stumbling. The Jews also understood "light" as symbol or ｅxpression of the inner beauty, truth, and goodness of God. In his light we see light ( Psalm 36:9). His word is a lamp that guides our steps (Psalm 119:105). God's grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, but it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace.
Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God's kingdom. Our mission is to be light-bearers of Jesus Christ so that others may see the truth of the gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin and deception.
There is great freedom and joy for those who live in the light of God's truth and goodness. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God's light?
"Lord Jesus, you guide me by the light of your saving truth. Fill my heart and mind with your light and truth and free me from the blindness of sin and deception that I may see your ways clearly and understand your will for my life. May I radiate your light and truth to others in word and deed".
Psalm 112:4-9
4 Light rises in the darkness for the upright; the LORD is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered for ever.
7 He is not afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
8 His heart is steady, he will not be afraid, until he sees his desire on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever; his horn is exalted in honor.
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The Light of Truth, by Chromatius (died 406 AD)
The Lord has already called his disciples the "salt of the earth" because they seasoned with divine wisdom the hearts of the human race which had been made tasteless by the devil. Now he also calls them the "light of the world." For, illumined by his very own self who is the true and eternal light, they too become light within the darkness. For since he himself is the sun of righteousness, he rightly also calls his disciples "light of the world." Through them, as if through shining rays, he poured the light of his knowledge on the entire world. For by showing the light of truth, the Lord's disciples made the darkness of error flee from people's hearts. (excerpt from TRACTATE on MATTHEW 19.1.1-2)
[Note: Chromatius was an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome described him as a "most learned and most holy man."]
http://www.homilies.net/
5 Ordinary Time
Fifth Sunday of the Year - A Cycle - Matthew 5:13-16
A teacher asked a boy to define salt. The pupil hesitated. Finally he stammered, "Salt is what makes French Fries taste good when you sprinkle it on."
Gandhi said, "If I had ever met someone who was a genuine Christian, I would have become one immediately."
Do you get the feeling that but a handful of us have accepted Jesus's admonition that we are the salt of the earth?
You may reply there are millions who are that salt. If so, what was Mr Gandhi's problem? Why is it every Catholic group in whatever country in the last quarter of the 20th century could only find one Catholic worthy of an award? She was the ill, elderly, and exhausted Mother Teresa. The poor thing was forever flying over the Himalayas to pick up one more piece of Steuben crystal. She must have dreaded hearing the phone ring in her Calcutta office. With a billion plus Catholics in the world, there should be thousands of Mother Teresas in each country.
A quick check supports the contention this is a bearish period for Catholic Christians. Think pedophilia among priests.
Check that the Nazarene did not say we should become the salt of the earth, but that we are the salt of the earth. He wasn't giving us a locker room pep talk. He was telling us the way He wanted to find us daily.
In Jesus' time, salt was so valuable it was used as salary for the Roman soldiers. It was called white gold. Christians should be as valuable.
The whiteness of salt suggests purity. Nathaniel Hawthorne penned: "Salt is white and pure. There is something holy about salt." The Roman opined salt had to be pure because it was given to us by the sea and sun.
Purity is nowadays not politically correct. Our morals would make Nero's Rome blush.
Incidentally, purity in this context is not confined to that three letter word that begins with "s" and ends in "x." Rather, it runs the whole gamut of moral questions. Have you noticed how many are afraid of the word "moral" anymore and so substitute the blander word "ethical"?
one mark of contemporary culture is the lowering of standards. Think of the college student whose heavy tuition is being paid by parents or taxpayers. And the student in question does nothing more than party hearty. Think of the person who gives less than a day's work for a day's salary. Or the plumber or carpenter who does inferior work. Or the woman who litters or refuses to pick up after her dog and so on ad infinitum.
Such people may be loved by their mothers, but they are hardly the salt of the earth that Christ speaks of today.
Swinburne has pronounced an incorrect judgment on Christ: "Thou hast conquered, O pale Galilean; the world hast grown gray from thy breath." It is His followers who have the bad breath.
Salt gives flavor to food. If you have any doubts, call your friends placed on a salt free diet. They search for a salt substitute. Think of the boy and his salted French Fries. We can survive without gold but not without salt.
Genuine Catholics play the same role as salt in the society about them. They give tang to the lives of other people. They cause fellow pilgrims about them to walk tall. They compel the rest of us to become more attractive Christians. Those of us worth our salt make others thirsty for Christ. (Unknown)
Salt has no value if it is locked away. The Nazarene invites us to give flavor and pizazz to people just by living among them. There is no authentic substitute for the real thing. A faux Christian spoils everybody and everything.
I like the style of one priest confessor. Whenever penitents come to him with long faces, he tells them their penance is to smile often that day. His penance was prompted by the report
that the average four year old laughs four hundred times a day and adults but fifteen.
In a world worn down by worries, Christians should be calm. In a society overdosing on antidepressants, we should be joyful.
Let the present generation of Christians make Friedrich Nietzsche eat his words. He wrote, "Christians do not reflect on their faces joy of redemption." Erase those frowns. Of all people we Christians should smile.
Our purpose on earth is not to get used to the dark but to shine as lights. We should replace glow-in-the-dark statues with glow-in-the-dark Christians. (Unknown)
Don't be afraid of this task. The Bible tells us 365 times not to be afraid - one for each day of the year. Think God is telling us something?
Frjoeshomilies.net
5 Ordinary Time
Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time: The Wisdom of God
I want to begin today with some thoughts regarding the ancient civilization of Greece. When we think about the ancient Greeks, certain images come to our mind. We think about the beautiful Temples. We think about the wonderful and still meaningful Greek dramas. And, we think about Greek philosophy.
The Greeks were very serious about philosophy, far more than we are today, unfortunately. When St. Paul visited Greece, he found that many of the Greeks were firmly entrenched in the camps of several philosophers. For example, there were those who followed Heraclitus and believed that the world was always in a constant state of change. There were those who followed Parmenides who claimed that the world was unchangeable. There were the followers of Plato who spoke about the inner recollection we all have of an ideal world. The world according to Plato was a combination of what our minds could make of it and reality. There were the followers of Aristotle who said that the world is as it appears. Reality exists, and we are capable of understanding it.
Paul came to these people without having any particular knowledge of the major Greek philosophers. You can understand why he came to these intelligentsia in fear and trembling. "What line of thinking are you employing?" the Greek citizen would ask Paul. “In what philosophy is your wisdom based?” To these Paul states in the second reading for today, "My message and my preaching has none of the persuasive force of 'wise' argumentation. Instead it has the convincing power of the Holy Spirit." Then he reminds the Christians at Corinth, "As a result your faith rests not on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."
Philosophy is good, important and necessary, but the wisdom of philosophy is infinitely inferior to the power of God. This is Paul's message to the new Christians at Corinth. It is his message to us as we are continually tempted to underestimate the value of our faith.
Sometimes we come upon our modern intelligentsia who will lay claim to the term of being wise because they have studied Kant, or Kierkegaard, or are well acquainted with the writings and beliefs of the East, the Buddhists or Hindus, or the Moslems, etc. An arrogant intellectual might ask: "You mean you haven't read Stephen Hawkin's A Brief History of Time?" The assumption would be that if we had read and understood that book we would be a lot wiser. This is not true. Having a grasp of all the knowledge there is in the world and all the great theories of the greatest of the philosophers may help develop our intellectual capacity and give us a clearer understanding of the world, but if this were the basis of our wisdom than we would not be wise. Instead, we would be fools. To the Christian, wisdom is not based on any person other than the person of Jesus Christ. Our wisdom is not lost in some document past or present, our wisdom is alive, because the Power of God lives.
Our wisdom is based not on theory but on faith.
I want to tell you a little story that illustrates this. This is a story about identical twin girls, Amy and Annie. The twins, Amy and Annie, were about one month away from their birth. Life was very pleasant for the twins. There was a constant source of food for each of them, even if sometimes it was a little spicier than they wanted. Their home was warm and comfortable. It seemed to move around a lot, but they were in lovely, velvety soft water, so they didn't mind it. They slept and played. one of their favorite games was kickboxing. one day, they got into an argument. Amy said that it she was sure looking forward to the day when she could see the Mommy face to face. Annie said, “How do you know there is a Mommy?” Amy said, well of course there is a Mommy, look at how wonderful our life is. We couldn't have this if there was not Mommy.” Annie said, “Well, if there is a Mommy: show her to me. If I can't see the Mommy, I don't believe there is a Mommy.” Amy could not show Annie the Mommy, but she could feel her presence and her love. The discussion and argument went on for about a month. Amy used to say to Annie, “You have to believe, you have to trust. There is more to life than meets the eye.” And Annie would respond, “Stop being so simple, so naive. Use your mind and put your trust only in that which your mind can discover.” Then one day their world became quite unsettled. The walls started squeezing them into a small space. Amy cried out, “Mommy I know you are out there. I need you now.” Annie just cried and cried. She was at a total loss trying to understand what was happening. Her mind could not explain it. She was full of fear. Finally, she called out, “Mommy, I hope you exist because I am afraid and need someone to calm my fear.” And the twins were born. After the initial shock of it all, they both felt the warmth and the love they had felt in their former home. And Annie realized that Amy was right. There is a Mommy, and the warmth and love she felt before and feels now was the very presence of the Mommy.
Paul is telling the people of Corinth and us that the reality which we do not see is more powerful, more certain, a deeper truth than the reality that we do see. The wisdom that our minds cannot come to is infinitely superior to the wisdom that is based solely on our intellectual capacity.
When sickness, trauma, or tragedy hit us; when our loved ones become ill, injured or die; it is Jesus Christ and Christ alone who brings order to the chaos of our lives. We are people who have been enlightened by Christ. Jesus Christ is God's answer to every question that has ever been or ever can be posed. We are called today to reveal the true wisdom of the Lord to the world. The wisdom not based on great intellects, but on the power of God. The world needs this still new wisdom. Enlightened by Christ, we are the light of the world.
Stmaryvalleybloom.org
* Available in Spanish - see Spanish Homilies
5 Ordinary Time
Alexmcallister.co.uk
5 Ordinary Time
We didn't hear the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday Ordinary Time because instead we celebrated the Feast of the Presentation on that day. Ordinarily it would have been an account of the Beatitudes with which Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount and in which we find the very heart of the Gospel message.
The Gospel text for this Sunday follows directly on from the Beatitudes and presents us with two images of the ideal disciple of Christ namely the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World. Each of these images is presented with two aspects one positive and one negative.
Salt enhances the taste of food. A good example is when you add a bit of salt to a tomato it really brings out the taste of the tomato so much so that you never want to eat tomato again without a pinch of salt. But then Jesus contrasts this with the suggestion that if salt becomes tasteless then it is of no use to anyone. All it will do then is put your blood pressure up without adding taste to anything.
In a similar way he talks about the lamp and its proper place on the lampstand where it gives light to the whole house and contrasts this with putting the lamp under a tub where it will give no light to anyone.
The conclusion he draws from these two strong images is that the disciple must be authentic and act like a disciple should so that men can see their good works and so be drawn to Jesus. This is what we call witnessing; doing good works so that our commitment to Christ and his Gospel are evident to everyone.
We don't do charitable works because they will bring us the admiration of others and allow us to show off; no, we do good works because we know this is what Christ wants us to do. We do good works in order to give glory to him. We care for our fellow man out of obedience to Christ.
From this we see that one of the fundamental characteristics of a Christian is to be outward looking, being concerned about the welfare of others and not being selfish or inward looking. We want to live our lives for other people and not be concerned with getting our own way or thinking always about our own personal advantage.
It might be worth exploring that image of salt for a bit. If we were to take things literally, actually being salt is absolutely hopeless. There is nothing so useless, so unmanageable, or so inedible as salt by itself. You can't do anything with just salt. Even if you were starving to death you could not eat salt to stay alive. Salt by itself is absolutely useless. It makes fields infertile, it kills life, it preserves death, it is very heavy. It is, on its own, totally useless.
Salt only becomes useful when it is mixed with other things. Jesus indicates this in today's gospel reading. You are the salt of the earth. We are not salt; we are the salt of the earth. We should be mixed up with the earth. We should be mixed in with the world around us.
If as a Christian you say I am the salt of the earth, then be prepared because what you are saying is that you should be thrown in the cooking pot. Of course, if you like you can stand in front of the cooking pot looking pretty. But no, you must be thrown in, mixed up with the world and thoroughly stewed. Of course, being salt it will become so absorbed into the stew that it will entirely disappear, but yet it's presence will make the stew tasty and palatable.
Christians who want to see themselves as the salt of the earth don't have to rush out and join all kinds of organisations and get themselves elected on to councils and committees. Though they may do some of these things in time.
They don't have to set up prayer groups all over the town, though they do have to pray. They don't even have to run around doing social work and bestowing care upon the poor, important and laudable through this is. What they have to do is bring a bit of flavour to the street in which they live and the places in which they work and play.
If salt is not mixed with anything else it is too bitter, too strong, too biting, too painful to the skin. Salt is therefore unbearable on its own. We can all think of Christians who are a bit like that. They are not mixed in, they don't have friends, they are not on good terms with their non-Christian neighbours. They are just as useless to God's plan for the salvation of the world as a big bag of salt and no stew.
If we are to look again at that image Jesus gives us about being the light of the world we realise that all these things we have said about salt can also be said about light. Light on its own is blinding. That's what you do if you want to torture prisoners, you shine lights in their eyes. Because light on its own hurts.
Light only becomes useful when it makes us able to see things other than itself. It is only useful when it illuminates dark corners. Jesus says that we must be the light of the world. Again, the operative words are ‘of the world'. We need to go about shedding light, making things visible, brightening things up.
As we can see there are two kinds of Christians: those who are wrapped up in themselves and too busy being self-righteous. They blind you with their Christianity, they rub salt into your wounds. They push Christ down your throat. Their Christianity is unpalatable, because it is to meet their own deep-seated needs and feelings of inadequacy.
Thank God however, that there are many more Christians who have got into the pot and who bring flavour and bite to the stew. They blend in, but they add taste and they bring light. They carry Christ's Gospel to all those they meet. They do so in quiet and subtle ways, they give example through their lives. They have understood the power behind gentleness and patience. They know how to live their lives in a fulfilling way. They know how to love and care.
These Christians are indeed the salt of the earth and the light of the world. And Christ is constantly using them to further his work of salvation in the world. Let us resolve to be like those true disciples who live for others and who bring Christ to the world.
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