Salt and Light
The images given by Jesus in the Gospel this weekend are salt and light.
How am I to be salt and how am I to be light?
Do I make a difference to others in the same way that salt enhances and brings out the flavours and tastiness of the food we eat?
My life, my being the person God created me to be, makes a difference to those I meet and those I live with. I am sure that we can all think of people in our lives that bring out the best in us by just being their loving and caring selves. They are like salt and light.
We need to let God fill us with his love in order for that love to be felt and seen by others. Thus, we become lights shining in the darkness of despair and meaningless. Our joy and happiness make a difference to other people’s lives.
We are light and salt by clothing the naked.
What does this mean for me? Who are the naked that I need to clothe?
We are light and salt by feeding the hungry.
What does this mean for me? Who are the hungry that I need to feed?
We are light and salt when we shelter the homeless poor.
What does this mean for me?
Who are the homeless poor to whom to need to offer shelter?
Lord give me an open heart and open hands to welcome, love and embrace others.
Not so that others may think I am wonderful, not in order to receive the admiration of others but so that others may see you more clearly, Lord, and come to know you.
I love the moment in the liturgy of baptism when the candle lighted from the Paschal Candle is handed to the baby’s parents. “Receive the light of Christ. Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He (she) is to walk always as a child of the light. May he (she) keep the flame of faith alive in his (her) heart. When the Lord comes, may he (she) go out to meet him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom”.
Banish the fear I have that pushes me to withdraw into the shadows. Give me the courage to walk as a child of the light. Keep the flame of faith in my heart.
