Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time-A
The Gospel reading for this weekend is short but powerful. It uses simple speech about salt, a city on the mountaintop, and light to illustrate what a Christian should be. For those who might deviate from their Christian identity, Jesus indicates they are living an unreasonable life.
He starts by saying we are the “salt of the earth.” Notice, Jesus does not say we are like the salt of the earth, but that we are the salt. What does salt normally do? It seasons food and preserves it, vital during Jesus’ time as it is today. He then asks, “What good is the salt if it loses its ability to do what it is intended for?” It is suitable for nothing and would be thrown away as useless.
When Christians no longer infuse society with the seasoning of Gospel values and the preservation of tradition, they no longer act as followers of Christ. This teaching flies in the face of the understanding that a person can be spiritual but not religious. The modern notion implies that a person can be a Christian without attempting to influence others by the way we live, denouncing falsehoods, and building the Kingdom of God on earth. If we fail in these Christian tasks, our fate is no better than salt thrown to the ground and stepped on.
We are also meant to be visible in the world, and Jesus uses the example of the city set on a mountain. By rising above a ground-level view, a mountain becomes noticeable, mainly when a city inhabits its peaks. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden, and so too is an encouragement to Christians not to live their lives in hiding.
Christians are not meant to live their faith in isolation, nor is it intended to be obnoxious. In today’s world, followers of Christ will interact with family and friends who have taken the wrong path. Often, those who have forsaken their faith are quick to shut down a conversation by accusing the person speaking the truth of being judgmental. It is a common way to end a conversation, and in many ways, it accomplishes its purpose. A Christian is that city to be seen and noticed. Even in the midst of conflict, the Christian must stay firm and gentle and not abandon the work they have been asked to do.
Jesus then uses the imagery of light. He claims that his followers are the ones who bring light to the world. It is unreasonable for someone who is the bearer of light to place it under a bushel basket to render it ineffective. He teaches us specifically that the light must permeate every corner of the house.
Here too, a Christian’s faith life is not a personal thing. By being infused with Jesus’ light, we are meant to accept his light and never shade it from others. Unfortunately, too many Christians are unwilling to be the conduit of God’s light to others because of their insistence on minding their own business or the fear of being challenged as a bigot. However, Jesus’ mandate is clear: “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
The command is profound and part of our duty as Christians. Once we have received the light of Christ through baptism and virtuous living, our example to the world, and most notably to our family and close friends, proclaims the Gospel. It does so by the way we live, and by proudly, not arrogantly, declaring our relationship with God through Jesus. Far from a burden, it is a gift. By living our lives and modeling what a Christian looks like, we are introducing or reintroducing God in all His wonder to another who sits in darkness. Being the light to those around us, we are actively converting people back to God.
Jesus ends his teaching by saying that the good deeds we do have another effect. By seeing our goodness, another who might not be apt to glorify God can do so by noticing those acts. How powerful our influence can be on those who do not know, or rejected the goodness of God in their own lives.
Who you are is important- important enough to show others.
What you do is important- important enough to share with others.
You are the salt, the city set on a mountainside, and a light free from the shade of a bushel basket.