Gospel: Salt and Light
Today marks the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the Gospel was lifted according to Saint Matthew, where Jesus said to His disciples about the qualities of being a Christian and a true follower. He said that being His follower is like being the salt of the Earth and also a light to be seen by the whole world.
The reading builds up from last week's candlemas where Jesus' ministry was revealed to be a light to the gentiles and a consolation to the people of Israel. In today's celebration, this very nature of the public ministry of Jesus has been elaborated to us even more.
First, Jesus said that we are the salt of the Earth. During the time of Jesus, salt is very important. Aside from being used to season food for the Romans, salt is also used as a preservative. Being a salt means striving to do good (and prevent being corrupted), but if the salt loses its taste, then it becomes useless. As a Christian, if we do not embody the very ideals of our faith, then our faith makes no sense.
Second, Jesus also said that we are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nobody lights a lamp then put it under a bushel basket, but it must give light to the whole house. As a Christian, Jesus is telling us that our faith in Him is meant to be shared. And by this, it means we are all called to be missionaries. Not just in the places convenient to us, but for all people. Everybody must see the light in us, a light so bright which can only come from Jesus Himself.
In the end, if people do not see the light of Jesus within us, if we are all professing our faith but does not apply it to our own lives, people will never see the good deeds Jesus did, and our ministry or faith becomes dead.
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Today's Gospel was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase & Co.
The reading builds up from last week's candlemas where Jesus' ministry was revealed to be a light to the gentiles and a consolation to the people of Israel. In today's celebration, this very nature of the public ministry of Jesus has been elaborated to us even more.
First, Jesus said that we are the salt of the Earth. During the time of Jesus, salt is very important. Aside from being used to season food for the Romans, salt is also used as a preservative. Being a salt means striving to do good (and prevent being corrupted), but if the salt loses its taste, then it becomes useless. As a Christian, if we do not embody the very ideals of our faith, then our faith makes no sense.
Second, Jesus also said that we are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nobody lights a lamp then put it under a bushel basket, but it must give light to the whole house. As a Christian, Jesus is telling us that our faith in Him is meant to be shared. And by this, it means we are all called to be missionaries. Not just in the places convenient to us, but for all people. Everybody must see the light in us, a light so bright which can only come from Jesus Himself.
In the end, if people do not see the light of Jesus within us, if we are all professing our faith but does not apply it to our own lives, people will never see the good deeds Jesus did, and our ministry or faith becomes dead.
x----x
Today's Gospel was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase & Co.
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