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Salt of the Earth, Light of the World
Where We Are
We gather on this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, continuing through the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel. Last Sunday, Jesus proclaimed the Beatitudes, describing the character of citizens in the Kingdom. Today he tells his disciples who they are and what they are for. Isaiah's call to justice in the first reading and Paul's description of his own humble preaching both set the stage for Jesus' powerful images of salt and light.
The Word
Isaiah declares that true worship is not ritual alone but justice in action: sharing bread with the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked. When we do this, the prophet says, our light will break forth like the dawn and God's glory will surround us. Paul tells the Corinthians that he came to them not with eloquent wisdom but in weakness, proclaiming only Christ crucified, so their faith would rest on God's power, not human persuasion. Then Jesus tells his disciples plainly: "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." These are not commands to become something; they are declarations of what his followers already are. Salt that loses its flavor is useless. A lamp hidden under a basket defeats its purpose. Our good deeds should shine before others so they give glory to the Father.
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Reflect
Salt and light are both humble, everyday substances, yet both are transformative. Salt preserves, seasons, and heals. Light reveals, guides, and warms. Jesus does not say, "Try to be salt" or "Work hard to become light." He says, "You are." The identity comes first; the mission flows from it.
In the first century, salt was enormously valuable. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt; our word "salary" derives from it. Salt was essential for preserving food in a world without refrigeration. When Jesus warns about salt losing its flavor, he describes something that has lost the very quality that makes it useful. The implication is pointed: a disciple who blends in completely with the surrounding culture, who adds nothing distinctive, has failed in the fundamental mission.
Isaiah makes clear what this light looks like in practice. It is not religious performance but concrete mercy: feeding the hungry, sheltering the oppressed, clothing the exposed. Paul adds another dimension: authentic witness does not depend on personal impressiveness. He came in weakness and fear, yet God's power worked through him precisely because he did not rely on his own abilities.
This is the paradox of Christian witness. We shine not by being impressive but by being genuine. We preserve not by accumulating power but by serving with love. The world does not need Christians who perform goodness for applause; it needs those whose quiet faithfulness reveals the grace of God working through ordinary lives.
Living It
Today, live out your identity as salt and light. First, perform one specific act of justice or mercy that Isaiah describes: share food with someone hungry, reach out to someone who is isolated, or address an injustice in your community, even in a small way. Second, examine whether your faith has lost its distinctive "flavor." Is there an area where you have blended in with the culture around you when you should be offering something different? Third, let your light shine in a way that points to God, not to yourself. Do something generous today without seeking recognition, and if someone notices, direct the credit to the One who is the source of all good.
Prayer
Father, you have called us to be salt and light in a world that desperately needs both. Help us never to lose the distinctive flavor of our faith or to hide the light you have placed within us. May our acts of justice and mercy shine before others, not for our own glory but so that all who see might give praise to you. Strengthen us to serve humbly, as Paul did, trusting in your power rather than our own. Amen.
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