Sunday Readings: Isaiah 58.7-10 1 Corinthians 2.1-5 Matthew 5.13-16
Jesus continues speaking to his disciples. “You are the salt of the earth, but what if salt loses its flavor? How can you restore its flavor? Then it is no good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel basket. The place for a lamp is on a stand where it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see goodness in your acts and give praise to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5.13-16).
As Jesus, whom Matthew sees as the new Moses, teaches his disciples in Sunday’s gospel, he compares them to two everyday things—salt and lamp light. In Jesus time people valued salt because it allowed fish and meat to be dried and cured and thus last a long time. The Latin word for salt is salarium. Roman soldiers received salarium as payment for their work. Salt was their salary. Jesus encourages his disciples to realize their value in God’s sight, as precious as salt in preserving life.
Jesus encourages his disciples to let their lamps of their faith in him to shine among others and light the way of his teaching. As disciples, Jesus calls us, too, show kindness, be gracious, generous, respectful toward others–actions that invite the same. Our actions speak louder than words. These two sayings use every examples for living our everyday Christian lives.
What does the saying being worth your salt mean to you? Who has used the saying in your life? What light shines in your actions? What do people tell you they value in your contributions to your family, neighborhood, parish? What actions do they urge you to do?