FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME A

[cappie]

Today Jesus has a lot to say about salt and the importance of salt being salt and not something else, “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.” Well, what does that mean?

First, it’s important to remember that Jesus is talking to his disciples: it’s these people that he is describing as the salt of the earth. That is good and bad news for them, and therefore us.

We see that Jesus has a vision in mind, a standard by which we disciples should be in the world. We are meant to be the salt of the earth, a sort of leaven or spice for the world. It’s interesting that Jesus uses this metaphor of salt.

Salt, in a dish, is not just salty, but since it is such a fundamental flavour it highlights all the others. In a word, we followers of Jesus are meant to enchant the world, to draw out the flavours of all the world, existence, everything!

Here we see that Jesus would have his followers engage with the world,  to act as a spice that enlivens all the rest.   With this spice of Jesus’ disciples the world feels, thinks, and acts more profoundly.

Now, before all this, Jesus says that we are the salt. The key word here is: are. He doesn’t say, “You will someday be the salt of the earth,” or “Continue to work at becoming the salt of the earth,” no, “You are, the salt of the earth.” For Jesus, we disciples are indeed already the salt of the earth, this is a spiritual reality, we are already the salt of the earth, it is a state of being that is already in place.    

So, with this reminder that Jesus has a clear idea of what we are to be in the world, we come face-to-face with the prospect of how we are doing in the light of Jesus’ statement. In other words: how are we doing in living with the standard that Jesus has laid out? Are we living as the salt of the earth? Are you enlivening the flavours of life, are you feeling, thinking, and living deeply in the pain and joy of the world ? He is pretty harsh too when considering the prospect of salt without saltiness: “if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.””

It seems that a life of saltiness and light that Jesus is getting at here is one that, without fear, moves into the world.   We followers of Jesus, walk a brave line of love into the deepest experiences of life, neither being swept away nor disengaged. This of course happens only because we are empowered by the Holy Spirit which, is more about granting patience and tenacity more than anything.

 Unsurprisingly, Jesus does not describe a light in isolation, but rather a light that exists for and within the world. He says, “Let your light shine before others,” not so that they may admire you, but “so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” The light that comes from Jesus’s love is not meant to be hidden or hoarded. It cannot exist in a vacuum or in isolation.

The point of the salt is not the salt itself.
The point of the light is not the light itself.

The point is God’s glory.

Neither salt nor light makes sense on its own. Salt only works in relationship with other ingredients. Light shines so that others can see. Jesus’s metaphors are about community, not individualism. They assume connection, relationship, interdependence: an ecosystem, not a solo performance.

The prophet Isaiah tells us of the need to share bread with the hungry, to shelter the homeless, to clothe the naked, and never to turn our backs on our own. This is what makes our light shine before others. The psalm spells out how our lives can make a difference when they are characterised by generosity, mercy, trust, and a steadfast heart committed to reaching out to the poor. This is the challenge given us by Pope Leo XIV in his recent Apostolic Letter, Dilexi te (I have Loved You), where he insists that we must be concerned about the lives of the most marginalised in our society.

Being salt for the earth and light means to remind the world of what God created it to be: a community  that is created for the flourishing of all and that anything other than that is not living in accordance with how God desired things to be. You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world called so by Jesus himself, be salt and light nothing else.