Skip to main content

Salt of the earth


Gospel
Matthew 5:13-16
Your light must shine in the sight of men

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.
    ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’

Reflection:
Jesus calls us to be visible, transformative presences in the world—like salt that flavors and preserves, and light that dispels darkness. Our faith is not meant to be hidden but lived out through tangible acts of love, justice, and mercy. When we live authentically, our lives point beyond ourselves to God’s grace. To hide this light is to reject our purpose.

Question:
Where in your daily life are you being called to let your “light shine” more boldly for others to see?

Prayer:
Loving Father, help me to live with courage and kindness, so that my life may reflect your goodness. May all I do lead others to give you praise. Amen.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The kingdom of God is among us

Gospel Luke 17:20-25 The kingdom of God is among you Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was to come, Jesus gave them this answer, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, “Look here! Look there!” For, you must know, the kingdom of God is among you.’     He said to the disciples, ‘A time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man and will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or, “Look here!” Make no move; do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his day comes. But first he must suffer grievously and be rejected by this generation.’ Short Reflection In this passage, Jesus redirects a fundamental human and religious question: "When?" The Pharisees are looking for a timetable, a visible political or cosmic event. Jesus' answer is startling. He says the Kingdom of God is...

The Virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son

Gospel Matthew 1:18-23 How Jesus Christ came to be born This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son  and they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ L Reflection God’s presence with us often comes in unexpected ways, inviting us...

No respect for Christ or John

Gospel Matthew 11:16-19 They heed neither John nor the Son of Man Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘What description can I find for this generation? It is like children shouting to each other as they sit in the market place: “We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn’t dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn’t be mourners.” ‘For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He is possessed.” The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet wisdom has been proved right by her actions.’ Short Reflection Jesus paints a picture of a generation that refuses to be pleased, not because the message is flawed, but because their hearts are closed. They found fault with John the Baptist's asceticism, calling him possessed, and they find fault with Jesus' approachability, calling him a glutton. The problem is not the style of the messenger, but the unwillingness of the audience to respond to...