I remember hearing a report on TV about a man who went into a thrift store to browse. He didn’t see anything of much value, but his attention was drawn to a rolled up, old map. He couldn’t figure out just what it showed, but he thought it would be an interesting item to frame and hang in his den. So, he bought it for a few dollars. When a friend saw it, he suggested that he take it to a cartographer who might identify it. He did and to his surprise, he discovered that his map was worth a lot of money. There is often hidden and great value to what from all appearances seem be worthless. That is a point that Jesus is making today when he describes us as salt of the earth and the light of the world. He sees value in us that we often do not see.
Think a moment about salt. The kind we are most familiar with is a granular, very small. But it has power within it that isn’t released until it’s out of the shaker and onto something to enhance its flavor. We have the power to add flavor to the lives of individuals and to society. Think for a moment how your life has been enriched by someone. I think of the members of our parish youth group where high school teens and older youth interacted and created an atmosphere where we had a lot of fun and grew in our faith at the same time. We made friendships that have lasted a lifetime and have added a lot of flavor and brightness to our lives. You and I have power to be a good influence on others, to bring joy, encouragement when these are especially needed. When Jesus says “you are the salt of the earth,” his is reminding us of our potential to have a positive influence on the lives of not just our friends but on all the people that we share space with at home, at school, at work, or wherever we may be. But we can’t give what we don’t have. We ourselves must be full of hope, joy, courage, faith in order to share them with others. What Jesus is telling us today is that if we are salted with the Gospel of Life, the mission or purpose we have as his disciples isn’t that extraordinary. It’s the most human and humane thing can do.
The same thing goes for us church. Pope Francis recently said that spiritual mediocrity is the greatest cause of shrinkage of the church. To many people, especially young people, the church doesn’t add zest, savor and joy to their lives. This is sad. Being in church, as we are now, should be like being salt in a refinery. It is here that we are to be
salted, filled with Spirit of Jesus.
It is here too that we should be turned-on or be prepared to become beacons of light for people who are experiencing some form of darkness, be it the darkness of loneliness, sickness, injustice, prejudice, lack of sparkle, confusion. We don’t have to have all the answers. We must simply be the presence of Jesus through our particular human caring and acting on behalf of others. Someone has said that Christianity is not a covert operation. People are supposed to see us acting, doing good, not for selfish reason, but for the glory of God, not meaningless acts, but ones that touch people’s spirits.
We need to reminder, too, that there is such a thing as too much salt, to strong a light. We are not called to overpower people. There is a story about a salesman who complained to his boss that his best efforts don’t work. It’s like I’m leading a horse to water but can’t make him drink: his boss retorted, “You are not to lead people to water, you are to make them thirsty. Good advise for evangelizers too: make them want what
you have.
Jesus expects us to influence the world both as individuals and as church. As church, for example, we can support all efforts to help promote the sanctity of all life. Today is Public Policy Sunday and we can sign the petition opposing legalizing assisted suicide as contrary to the sacredness of all life. And there are many other ways that we can join this parish in being salt and light in our community.
Scripture tells us that God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. And His son calls upon us to love the world, too, and to influence it for good by bringing into the lives of others the Spirit of Jesus especially by the way we care for one another, not just by praying, but through very human actions of caring.