Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:13

 

"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

 

What does it mean to lose your saltiness? Salt was a very important seasoning during these times. Salt prevented food from going bad and spoiling. It kept your food pure. The salt would penetrate the meat and prevent bad things from growing on it. So if we lose our saltiness, what will keep us pure? What will penetrate our soul to prevent evil from taking over? We are called not only to be the salt of the earth to help preserve and purify our own soul, but the souls of others. We are the most important spice on the rack. Without salt, we would die to the way of the Lord. We must share the Word of God; we must purify and preserve.

 

Jesus also tells us that "We are the light of the world.” What does it mean to be “the light” of the world? Similar to the salt, lamps were the only source of illumination in darkness. Without the lamp, our house would be dark and we could not see the way. We do not light the lamp and hide it, but we let the light shine through so all can see. Jesus calls us to “Let our light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” With our light shining bright, we can lead God’s people through the darkness of evil and sin. If we are given the light, then we must give others light so they do not stumble on their journey to heaven.

 

Salt must not lose its power to purify and the lamp must not lose its light. We are each called to purify and guide; to provide a clear example of a life with Christ. Our faith provides the fuel for the lamp and our commitment to God provides the saltiness. If we do not illuminate others by our actions and our examples, we are not doing the work of God on earth.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Oh mighty Jesus, You gave me salt and you gave me light.

I do not want to waste these treasures.

May they be purified and guide all souls to heaven.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon