In the Middle East, during the time of Jesus, refined salt, like that in most of our salt shakers, had great value, in fact, it was only the truly wealthy that could own refined salt, so much so, that it came to be known as “white gold” and, it is said, that the Roman soldiers would be paid in salt, which, incidentally, is where the word “salary” comes from.
The rest of the people, however, could only afford a bag of salt which would be full of impurities, and once the salt bag was getting empty, all that was left were the impurities or what were known as “dregs.” So, when the salt went flat, it was no longer good and it would be thrown on the ground and used to dry up mud.
Additionally, salt was used to preserve food, since there were no refrigerators to keep things fresh, and to add a little flavor to a less than palatable meal, since food might have been a little bland at times.
So, when Jesus, in our Gospel, tells us we are to be the salt of the earth, He is saying, that we are called to preserve and to make palatable the Christian message to those who find it less than appetizing, as it were, that we are called to bring the “white gold” of the Word of God to others and to live that Word as if it cost us everything, because it did.
And, when He says we are to be the light of the world, He saying we are to live as a bright light, as torches of Christ in a world that finds the darkness of sin and division more comfortable and more pleasing than Him.
Because, when we come here to receive that Eucharist, whether we realize it or not, we, literally become a lamp stand of Christ, and when we leave this church, we make the decision to allow that lamp to remain for all to see or to put it under a bushel basket, concealed and hidden away.
Yet, as Jesus reminds, our light cannot stop shining, it cannot be dimmed, no matter what we do, no matter what we try, because it is meant for all to see, it is meant to illuminate our lives and to not darken it, it is meant to be passed on from one person to the other, to be that single lit candle in the cold darkness of the night of this world.
In fact, we need only look at the tabernacle, where you will see a single candle burning, a light that not only reminds us that Christ is there, but a light we are to carry within ourselves each and every day, to remind us that He is with us always.
Because, by carrying the light of Christ to others, by living as beacons, as instruments of God’s Will, we come to see that we are the flashlights, as it were, to Christ who is the light, that we, indeed, are the lamp to Christ who is the bulb.
That wherever we go we should and want to make Him known, that wherever we go we should and want to bring the taste of Heaven to others, as it were, or, as a priest once put it: “Those of us worth our salt make others thirsty for Christ.”
Today then, Jesus is placing a challenge before us, to be the best Christians that we can be, to live holiness the best that we can so that our ultimate desire in this life is sainthood.
Because, by doing so, we then become that salt, spreading the message of Christ, far and wide, savored by many and lighting a torch on our way. And, that in the end, we live that challenge that Christ has called all of us to, to truly be the salt of the earth and, indeed, the light of the world.
The rest of the people, however, could only afford a bag of salt which would be full of impurities, and once the salt bag was getting empty, all that was left were the impurities or what were known as “dregs.” So, when the salt went flat, it was no longer good and it would be thrown on the ground and used to dry up mud.
Additionally, salt was used to preserve food, since there were no refrigerators to keep things fresh, and to add a little flavor to a less than palatable meal, since food might have been a little bland at times.
So, when Jesus, in our Gospel, tells us we are to be the salt of the earth, He is saying, that we are called to preserve and to make palatable the Christian message to those who find it less than appetizing, as it were, that we are called to bring the “white gold” of the Word of God to others and to live that Word as if it cost us everything, because it did.
And, when He says we are to be the light of the world, He saying we are to live as a bright light, as torches of Christ in a world that finds the darkness of sin and division more comfortable and more pleasing than Him.
Because, when we come here to receive that Eucharist, whether we realize it or not, we, literally become a lamp stand of Christ, and when we leave this church, we make the decision to allow that lamp to remain for all to see or to put it under a bushel basket, concealed and hidden away.
Yet, as Jesus reminds, our light cannot stop shining, it cannot be dimmed, no matter what we do, no matter what we try, because it is meant for all to see, it is meant to illuminate our lives and to not darken it, it is meant to be passed on from one person to the other, to be that single lit candle in the cold darkness of the night of this world.
In fact, we need only look at the tabernacle, where you will see a single candle burning, a light that not only reminds us that Christ is there, but a light we are to carry within ourselves each and every day, to remind us that He is with us always.
Because, by carrying the light of Christ to others, by living as beacons, as instruments of God’s Will, we come to see that we are the flashlights, as it were, to Christ who is the light, that we, indeed, are the lamp to Christ who is the bulb.
That wherever we go we should and want to make Him known, that wherever we go we should and want to bring the taste of Heaven to others, as it were, or, as a priest once put it: “Those of us worth our salt make others thirsty for Christ.”
Today then, Jesus is placing a challenge before us, to be the best Christians that we can be, to live holiness the best that we can so that our ultimate desire in this life is sainthood.
Because, by doing so, we then become that salt, spreading the message of Christ, far and wide, savored by many and lighting a torch on our way. And, that in the end, we live that challenge that Christ has called all of us to, to truly be the salt of the earth and, indeed, the light of the world.
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