Gospel: Mt 5:13-16
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JESUS said to his disciples: “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.”
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Jesus calls his followers “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” We are familiar with the imagery of the light that is elaborated in the second part of the Gospel. Our light, as Christians, must shine. To be the light of the world, we must set good examples to others.
But what does it mean when we, the salt of the earth, become tasteless? The verbal form used is mōranthē – from the Greek verb mōraínō, which means “to become tasteless” – occurring in Matthew only in this passage. This verb could also mean “to cause the content of certain thoughts to become meaningless.”
Finding meaning in the things we do is important. There may be times, however, when everything seems meaningless. Jesus reminds us that life with him will always be filled with meaning. Do our lives find meaning in Jesus? When we feel empty, do we turn to God?
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
