Reflection for Sunday February 9th, 2014

You Are the Salt of the Earth
A Reflection for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2014
By Rev. Fr. Bob Johnnene OFD
Mission Sts. Sergius and Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy
An All Inclusive and Welcoming Old Catholic Parish and Ministry
Of the Independent Catholic Church of the Americas
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Based on readings from: Isaiah 58, Psalm 11, 1 Corinthians 2, and Matthew 5:13-16

“You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste what can make it salty again”, Our Gospel reading began with these words and they are more than worth pondering over.
Think about the attributes of salt. Without salt most foods are bland and have little taste. Salt is an essential part of our body. Our tears and sweat are salty. Salt can melt ice and when mixed with certain chemicals can cause and explosion.
When Christ tells us that we are the salt of the earth he means that without us, the world would be bland and tasteless.
The Gospel goes on by telling us that salt, when it loses its flavoring ability; “is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet.”
Like salt, if we lose our flavor for God we become worthless as disciples of Christ and messengers of God‘s love.
The next passage of the Gospel proclaims; “You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The meaning of this passage is very clear, you cannot hide your faith, trust and love of God from others but you need to be proud and wear your faith like a badge of honor.
You must be willing to speak out against the ills that surround us every day that are contrary to what we are called to do as followers of Christ.
As Pope Francis recently said on his visit to Assisi said; “Unfortunately, society is polluted by the “throw away” culture, which is opposed to the culture of hospitality. And the victims of the throw away culture are in fact the weakest and most fragile persons”. “To serve with love and with tenderness persons who are in need of so much help makes us grow in humanity, because they are true resources of humanity”.
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians explains that he is not a great orator nor did he use mystery and high faulting language but simply explained the truth of Christ’s message and God’s love for all His children.
He explains that he came with fear and trembling and with the full recognition of his weakness and his failings.
In other words he recognized that he was a simple human being that God picked out to proclaim the Good news of Salvation to all he encountered.
He did not use Great theological, philosophical and psychological language but the simple language and Christ’s words to let people know that Christ came for everybody on the face of the earth.
Paul makes it clear that we cannot depend on human knowledge and manmade rules and regulations to earn the kingdom of heaven but we need to listen to that inner voice which is usually the Holy Spirit, guiding us and leading us to a deeper knowledge and love of God.
We need to put complete faith and trust in God and continually ask God to assist us in getting to know, love and serve Him and to have the courage and the strength to “Let our light of faith shine brightly for all to see”
Pope Francis has reminded us that we should, as he says it: “God who reveals himself to those who have a simple heart, to the little ones, to the humble, to those who we often consider the least, you also, dear friends need to do this as well:
We have to be like Salt and give a wonderful flavor to our message of God’s power, love, mercy by letting the light of our faith in God shine forth every day having our daily actions emulate the Beatitudes that we heard last week and the Great commandment Christ gave us; “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law of the Prophets hangs on these two commandments.”
We must always remember that; “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn 4:16).
Remembering this we can always have the courage and not be afraid to let our Faith and love of God shine forth like a beacon to keep away the darkness and despair that often can overtake people who have lost their faith or who have never known the Good News of Salvation that Christ earned for us.
We can be the spice of life and a beacon of faith to lead others to the promised land of everlasting life in heaven with the creator and all the heavenly elect.
I close this reflection for the 5th Sunday of Ordinary time with the words of Francis, the Bishop of Rome and the Pope or “Papa” of the Roman people and the Roman Church. “So many of you have been despoiled by this savage world, which doesn’t give work, which doesn’t help, which is not concerned that there are children who die of hunger in the world; it doesn’t matter that so many families have nothing to eat, do not have the dignity to bring bread home; it doesn’t matter that so many people must flee from slavery, from hunger and flee seeking freedom. How often with so much grief we see that they meet with death. These things are done by the spirit of the world. It is in fact ridiculous that a Christian – a true Christian – that a priest, that a Sister, that a Bishop, that a Cardinal, that a Pope want to go on the path of this worldliness, which is a homicidal attitude.
Spiritual worldliness kills! It kills the soul! It kills persons! It kills the Church! May God give us the strength and the courage to become reflections of Christ to all we encounter and to be proud to speak out against all injustices and the wisdom and fortitude to know God’s will for us. AMEN