“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Matthew 5:13-16 (NABRE)
So much is said in so few words.
Jesus engages two essential aspects of daily life in this passage: salt and light. These are things that are basic and available to all. They among the fundamentals of what we keep and use. Through this rather mundane imagery, the Lord makes a point about the necessity of living out one’s faith. But there are not just self-centered considerations at play. Sure, living out one’s faith is crucial for his or her personal salvation, but it is also of great value in ensuring that this world knows that love exists and can make a positive, lasting impact on their lives.
Just as light is essential for sight and salt for flavoring, so too is our willingness to follow the Lord’s command to have an active faith is essential for a functioning world. Imagine the disorder and misery of a world completely blind to the love of God? There would be no genuine motivation for hope and perseverance in such a dark and inhospitable place. Everyone, whether they realize it or not, needs to both see and experience the life-giving power of the Christian witness. Things like sacrifice, kindness, gentleness, and humility can have a profound impact on others. Whenever we act in such a way, we are like beams of light and show others that there is more to life than the coldness that they have experienced from other people.
Love is practical. It is measured in the choices that we make. A mere “I love you” is utterly void of meaning unless it is proven through concrete action. Here, Jesus calls us to be as practical and salt and light. It is so basic that anyone can do it, but it is also too basic to be neglected.
Thank you for reading. Peace.
Eat the Scroll 