YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

V SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Matthew 5:13-16

A Christian is someone who follows Jesus closely, adopting his values and accepting his rule of life. In doing that, he makes the difference. Following the wisdom of the world and being a Christian doesn’t go together. The traditional Bemba wisdom warns us saying: Uwikete fibili, afwile ku menshi (the one who grabbed two things, drowned). We cannot be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ and at the same time be marked by the attitudes of the world, which promote self-centeredness, hunger for power, lust for pleasure and greediness for wealth.

According to Jesus, the Christian must be different and people must be able to tell the difference.

We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We don’t need to be many, but we must be faithful, so that, mixed with everybody else, as if lost in society, we may give good taste to the same society. Little by little, society will be shaped by Christian values, accepted as the way of life that manifests our human dignity. If we are like everybody else, then we have become like the salt which has turned tasteless and is only worthy of being “trampled underfoot by men”. 

In the same vein, we are called to be the light of the world, sharing the light of Christ and allowing it to reflect through us. We cannot hide and the eyes of people are upon us. In our modern societies, there is a concerted effort to reduce faith and the manifestations of faith to the private sphere, banning any Christian symbols from state buildings. They allow anyone who so wants to be a Christian, but nobody should know that he is a Christian. Christ tells us: “In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.”

We become the light of the world through our “good works”, mainly works of justice, of mercy and of love. The Prophet Isaiah had already written about this:

Share your bread with the hungry,

and shelter the homeless poor,

clothe the man you see to be naked

and do not turn from your own kin.

Then will your light shine like the dawn

and your wound be quickly healed over.

If you do away with the yoke,

the clenched fist, the wicked word,

if you give your bread to the hungry,

and relief to the oppressed,

your light will rise in the darkness,

and your shadows become like noon. (Isaiah 58:7-10)

And Psalm 112 speaks in the same way about the righteous person:

The just man will never waver:

  he will be remembered for ever.

He has no fear of evil news;

  with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.

With a steadfast heart he will not fear;

open-handed, he gives to the poor;

  his justice stands firm for ever.

  His head will be raised in glory.

Let us ask the Lord that he may strengthen us for us to become truly the salt of the earth and the light of the world.