Readings:

Is. 58:7-10; Ps. 112; 1 Cor. 2:1-5; Mt. 5:13-16

Today, Jesus uses powerful imagery to describe those who give glory to the Father by their good deeds. He says, “You are the salt of the earth,” and “the light of the world.” This echoes what the prophet Isaiah says in our First Reading: “If you remove from your midst of oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.” In other words, “Light shines through the darkness to the upright,” and the source of that light, is of course, Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, and those who live according to his teaching become beacons of that light.

We might ask ourselves, then, how tasty is our salt? And how bright is our light? In the ancient world, salt was the primary method of preserving meat. Salt prevents the growth of the bacteria that leads to rot. This ancient form of preservation is still used in common meats we enjoy today, like bacon, ham, or fish. But, if we are to be the salt of the earth, as Jesus says, what is it we are preserving? Well, some may have noticed that we are reading from the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, which is Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes. If we follow Jesus’ teaching, we would find that Jesus gives his disciples the Beatitudes, then follows it up by saying, you are the salt of the earth…and the light of the world. In other words, followers of Jesus are expected to live the beatitudes, and by so doing, will preserve the lifestyle of the Christian, and those actions will shine like the noonday sun. This is how we are to be the light of the world.

But, what if our light is dimmed? What if we fail to live the way Jesus has taught us to live? Jesus says, “salt that loses its taste is good for nothing.” It makes little sense to keep salt that doesn’t do its job, just as it makes no sense to cover a lamp. Lamps are meant to cast light so we can see, but too often we find ourselves shrouded in darkness. That darkness creeps into us in several ways: mainly through sin, by the dimming of the intellect, neglecting the moral life, giving in to peer pressure, choosing to do wrong, and failing to do right. If Christ is the light shining in that darkness, then there is no way not to see it. Why remain in the darkness? Jesus says, “Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known” (Matt. 10:26). So, we need to focus on ways to amplify that light.

Jesus says, “a city set on a mountain cannot be hidden,” that is to say, multiple lamps shining together are brighter than a single lamp. That is why for us Christians it is so important that we gather together for worship. Each of the baptized carry the light of Christ, and as we worship at this altar, our lamps are burning within us. They burn with our desire to be poor in spirit, to be comforted when we mourn, to inherit the kingdom; they burn with our hunger and thirsting for righteousness, mercy, and purity of heart; the burn with our struggle for peace in the face of being mocked and ridiculed on account of our faith in Christ. These are the attitudes Jesus wants us all to preserve; they are more than just ideals, they are a way of life. And we who seek to live this life are called to exercise those beatitudes to the best of our ability.

When we live according to the teachings of our Blessed Lord, we will be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It may not always be easy, but do not be discouraged: There is no shadow that cannot be overcome by light. And while a great shadow has been cast over the world, we must let the light of Christ dispel that darkness. So, let us amplify that light by the way we live, preserving the Christian way of live such that whatever we do, we do @Cin the name of Christ.

And now, as we draw upon the source of all light, truth, and life, may the Eucharist we celebrate today strengthen our devotion to the Christian way of life, and may our communion in Christ, help us to amplify the light of Christ burning within us.