SALT AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD

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

Defining his disciples' role in the world, Jesus told them:  “You are the salt of the earth”, and “You are the light of the world”. As salt, Christians must give the taste of God and preserve the earth from corruption. The society in which we live has lost the taste of everything that is divine, like truth, justice, peace and love. It has been corrupted by all kinds of evil, like the insatiable thirst for power and hunger for wealth, which blind us and leads us to roads of oppression and exploitation. This earth in which we live is rotten with corruption, giving way to the wildest desires of a heart full of lust. Christians must be an antidote to decay. Woe to the earth, if the Christians themselves become corrupted as well. Then, they are “good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.” Time and again, Christians have been carried away by the powers of darkness, accepting and promoting ideologies that reject God’s plan for humanity. The concerted efforts to destroy the family, despise marriage and promote gender ideology has made inroads in the Church. Under the new cancel culture, many of the true values are banished. However, if the Church stops being the salt of the earth, she becomes unfaithful to Christ and is on the way to self-destruction.

Jesus insists on our duty to become role models for the society in which we live: “You are the light of the world.” And Jesus stresses two points about the light: we cannot hide and we should not keep the light to ourselves. It is not that we must put on a show and call everybody’s attention as those who wish to become famous at all costs; but we cannot hide, since we live in the world with all the others who surround us. If we behave like hypocrites, we will be unmasked and despoiled of our duplicity. When that happens, as it is happening, we must recognise our sin and repent. When depravity is brought into the open, all of us must search our souls and renew our hearts to expurgate them from evil, and evil that destroys the lives of many others.

Despite all that, Christians are called to show forth the light for others to find the way to life and salvation. 

Psalm 112 reminds us of our duty:

The good man is a light in the darkness for the upright.

He is a light in the darkness for the upright:

  he is generous, merciful and just.

The good man takes pity and lends,

  he conducts his affairs with honour.