FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Isaiah 58:7-10; I Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16)
A group of young people used to go to jail every Sunday.
They were not criminals but university students. They visited the incarcerated
to offer them support. When he saw them coming, one of the guards always made a
sarcastic comment. He said to his companions: "Here come the do-gooders
again." The group ignored their detractor. They knew that they were there
fulfilling the plan of Jesus laid out in the Sermon on the Mount. Last Sunday
we listened to the beatitudes laid out at the beginning of the sermon telling
about the ends of life. Today we hear what follows, a description with powerful
images of what Christians are to be.
First, Jesus calls his disciples "the salt of the
earth." Salt is nothing if it is not useful. Even today we use sodium
chloride in various ways. Among others, we put it in food to increase its
flavor. Also, in cold climates it is used to melt ice on roads. In times past
salt was even more advantageous. The ancients used it to preserve their
perishable products, to heal their wounds, even to seal their compacts. By
using the term in his Sermon, Jesus is indicating that his disciples should be
helpful to other people. In addition to showing love, he knows that by helping
others, they will draw many into the community of faith.
Salt may have a hundred uses, but the main use of light is ten
times more valuable than any use of salt. Light facilitates sight and,
therefore, at least metaphorically, understanding and wisdom. Being the light
of the world, the disciples will show how Jesus Christ leads us to a more fulfilling
life. It is living in such a way that everyone wants to imitate our ways,
including, as Jesus indicates, giving praise to God the Father.
Once a woman phoned the chancery of her diocese. She asked
to speak to a priest. Connected to one, she told him that she wanted to become a
Catholic. When asked why, she told of a Catholic woman who worked with her. He
said that her companion was such a good person that she wanted to be like her. Certainly,
the companion served as a light in our world that sometimes seems full of
darkness.
Saint Paul in the second reading today indicates what
prevents us from being salt and light. He says that he arrived at Corinth
feeling weak and trembling with fear. Likewise, we feel fearful when we think
about helping other people, at least those we don't know. We fear that we will
end up cheated or, at least, deprived of our routine that provides us with a modicum
of peace. If Paul describes our dilemma, he also prescribes his remedy. We have
to put our trust not in our abilities but in the power of Jesus Christ. Praying
to him, we will not fail. Rather, we will bring others to it while securing our
destiny.
There is an organization that literally identifies with the
appeal of Jesus in this gospel. Called "Light of Love", the
organization helps the blind. Members transport those who have lost their sight
to fulfill their tasks. They also teach the blind how to live happily with
their disability. Not surprisingly, the organization receives the support of a
Christian community. Every Christian should aspire to be a "light of
love".
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