You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world
In the Gospel of today Jesus speaks to us with words that are both simple and deeply demanding. He tells us, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.” These are not suggestions or future goals; they are statements of identity. Jesus is telling us who we already are by virtue of our baptism and what the world expects from those who belong to him.
Salt is small and often unnoticed, yet it makes all the difference. A meal without salt is bland and uninviting, and salt also preserves food from decay. In the same way, Christians are meant to give meaning, direction, and moral flavor to the world. Our presence should preserve society from corruption and hopelessness. When faith is reduced to words alone and does not express itself in care for others, it loses its taste. This is why the prophet Isaiah insists that true worship of God is seen in sharing bread with the hungry, welcoming the homeless, and standing with the oppressed. A faith that ignores human suffering cannot transform the world.
Light, on the other hand, cannot be hidden. Jesus reminds us that a city built on a hill is visible to all and that a lamp is not lit to be covered, but to give light to everyone in the house. By calling us light, Jesus is saying that our lives are meant to be visible signs of God’s presence. People may never read the Bible, but they read the lives of believers every day. The way we speak, forgive, work, and treat others either reveals Christ or conceals him.
Jesus concludes by urging us to let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to the Father. Our good deeds are not meant to earn praise for us, but to point beyond us to God. Each act of kindness, honesty, patience, and forgiveness becomes a quiet but powerful light in a world often darkened by fear and selfishness.
May the Lord give us the grace to live our faith in such a way that others, seeing our lives, will come to glorify our heavenly Father. Amen.
