Reflection for 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A
(Is 58:7-10; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16)
Salt and Light
Salt performs two major roles in our home: it bring out the taste of food and for preservation. Light dispels darkness, and gives illumination to our sight. Saltiness—the taste it gives—is contained within the salt as its original property. With light we see our way and behold the beauty around. Salt with its own taste brings out the real taste of other ingredients, and blends them. These two agents are used analogically to describe the life of Christians.
Salt performs two major roles in our home: it bring out the taste of food and for preservation. Light dispels darkness, and gives illumination to our sight. Saltiness—the taste it gives—is contained within the salt as its original property. With light we see our way and behold the beauty around. Salt with its own taste brings out the real taste of other ingredients, and blends them. These two agents are used analogically to describe the life of Christians.
The Light of the World
“Then shall your light break forth like the
dawn...” The Prophet Isaiah compares righteous acts to the light unveils a new
day and brings healing. As light illumines the room, so acts of charity to the
hungry, the homeless, etc shines forth, and illumines both the giver and
receiver. As light shines for the vision of others, so the righteous man pours
himself out for the hungry, the needy, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted.
“Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say,
here I am.” The glory of God shall enlighten such a one, his darkness is
dispelled, and his gloom shall melt away.
Jesus is
the true light of the World (Jn 8:12). Those who follow him will have the light
of life. He is the source; he gives His light to all who accept Him in their
lives. “The Word was the real light that gives light to everyone” (Jn 1:9). “In
you is the source of life, by your light we see the light” (Ps 36:9).
The Taste and the Vision
“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You are the salt
of the earth.’” The earth thus takes this semblance of a pot of soup with many ingredients
in it. The salt comes in silently,
and humbly. It does not occupy space but it permeates the whole content and simply
dissolves itself within. The salt sacrifices
itself in order to bring out the delicious taste of the ingredients, and to
form a sumptuous combination. Taste and see!
The salt has its saltiness within it. It does
not depend on the ingredients in the pot to be salty. Its beauty and value is the taste it gives to the meal. This
is how Jesus’ disciples are expected to be in the world. They must possess
within them the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. “But if salt has lost
its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for
anything...” It is a shameful thing to answer a follower of Jesus without
having the qualities thereof. It is like a salt that has lost its saltiness and
is reduced to a thing of derision and shame.
As a salt gives taste to food, so a lamp put on
the lamp stand gives light to all in the house. Yes, a city on a hill cannot be
hidden. If we have the light of Christ, it cannot be hidden. It will be known
through our righteous deeds. The light shines by burning away its wick and oil,
just as the salt dissolves in order to give taste to the food. In the same way,
a Christian shines from the Cross of Jesus Christ; he is built on the hill of Calvary.
From there he humbly gives taste and vision to his family, friends and society.
To Glory of God
“Let your light shine before men, that they may
see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.” The taste
and the light must come from Christ Jesus, and the glory of our good works
belongs to God. So to keep our saltiness
and light shining, we must deepen our
knowledge of Jesus Christ, and His Cross. “For I decided to know nothing among
you except Jesus Christ and him Crucified.” St Paul advises us to put away the
false self, which is shrouded in lofty words and resting on human wisdom. This
will only lead to the disgrace of a tasteless salt...
Therefore, we must imbibe good and righteous
ways of life. Through prayer and study, we can easily renew our inner qualities.
For if we have no light and taste within us, how can we illumine the world and
give sweetness to the earth, to the glory
of God.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Sunday February 9th, 2020.
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