Salt and Light
Matt 5:13-16
Scripture reading: Matthew 5:13-16 (Mark 9:50, Luke 14:34 f.) "You are the
salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be
restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden
under foot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot
be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and
it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
In today’s gospel, Jesus is describing the important role each of us plays in
living the gospel in the world, the important role that we play toward each
other as members of the Body of Christ.
In Jesus day salt and light were valuable and critical elements of life. Salt as
highly valued and traded because it not only brought out the flavor of food, but
in an age of no refrigeration it served to preserve food and its freshness. And
in the absence of any other lighting, a lit lamp was the only source of light
and safety and guidance in the darkness of night.
But salt could go flat and lose its qualities as light could go out or grow dim
and lose its usefulness. Just as salt could go flat over time if not
stored or used correctly and a light be under a bushel (go dim) so too can we
lose our faith and weaken in hope if we just let it go flat, if we don’t use it
or keep it fresh don’t practice it or don’t stay close to Jesus.
Jesus is telling us for all ages with these examples about our role as
Christians and the importance of our relationships with each other.
Our role is to be salt to others, to flavor the world with love and to bring out
the best in ourselves and others through our life of Christian kindness and
care.
We are to persevere in our faith lives and be a light to others, a beacon of
faith which shines brightly through our actions, our interactions, and our
example in leading others through the darkness of life toward the light of
Jesus.