Salty?
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Lectionary: 73 Is 58:7-10; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16
Jesus says that we are the salt of the world. He also said that if we are not salty, or we lose our saltiness, then we’re good for nothing.
What does he mean? Real salt can’t lose its flavor. It’s salt. No matter how small it is, it is always salty, because… it’s salt.
But, in the Holy Land at the time when Jesus was talking to the disciples, salt was rarely mined from the ground. It was most often collected by letting the sun dry pool of salty water. Salt from the sea is about 85 percent what we call “salt.” If you dry that out, it’s pretty salty. The salt from the Dead Sea consists of only about 30 percent of the salt we use at the table. The rest is various other minerals. At the best, then, the salt most people could get at that time was not very pure.
But, it’s not just about being pure. In the first century, salt was precious. Sometimes, salt was even used as money. It was not uncommon for people to sell fake salt. It would taste a little salty at first, but it would absorb moisture from the air, and quickly become flavorless. After just a few days, it was only good for traction on the roads.
Are we real salt? Are we a little salty, but full of impurities? Or, are we just fake salt?
In Isaiah, the prophet describes what it means to be “salty.” Do we share our food with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless, clothe the naked, and treat our own families right? Do we eliminate oppression, lies, and malicious gossip?
If we are the salt of the earth, then the answer to at least some of those questions is “yes.” Maybe we can’t do everything, and maybe we can’t do much, but salt is salty, no matter how small it is. Most of us don’t have persuasive words of wisdom, as Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians, but we can all demonstrate what it means to live a life depending upon the power of God.
There are a few beautiful souls who are called to contemplative life, like Anna in last week’s gospel, who never left the temple, but spent all of her time in prayer and worship. But, for most of us, indeed, for almost all of us, if the answer to at least some of those questions is not “yes,” then we are not very salty, are we?
Being a disciple of Jesus is not only about coming to mass, going to confession, “getting our sacraments,” and praying the Rosary. Those are good, right, and beautiful, but being a disciple of Jesus is about being the salt of the earth, and the light of the world. If we do all those things, but we don’t put our faith into action, then we aren’t very salty.
So, again –
Are we feeding the hungry?
Are we sheltering the homeless?
Are we clothing the naked?
Are we taking proper care of our own families?
Are we defending the oppressed?
Are we actively rejecting lies and malicious gossip?
Are we? Am I?
When others look on our lives, do they see the light of Christ?
Throughout history, the Church has been a beacon of light and a witness to God’s love and mercy. Almost every good thing we enjoy in our society was first a gift from the church. The Church gave us free school for the poor, and universities. She invented hospitals and hospices. She stood up for the rights of the poor, and led the way in honoring and promoting women in society, science and education. She ended human sacrifice and infanticide. She brought hope and joy through the arts. The list of ways the Church has been salt and light in the world is nearly endless.
What about us?
Do the people of Slaton look at the people who make up our Catholic parishes and see the light of Christ? Do they see us living the Corporal Works of Mercy? Are we feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting prisoners, burying the dead, and giving alms to the poor? Do we stand up for those who are oppressed or denied justice under the law? Do we reject false accusations and malicious gossip? And, there’s more. Do we bring light and joy to our community?
Yes… I think so… sometimes.
I think we can be more salty… a lot more salty.
Ash Wednesday and Lent are just two and a half weeks away. I am confident that if we will ask the Lord to help us understand how we can be more salty, then the Lord will be kind enough to hear and grant our request. And, when we allow God to purify us and live a more salty life, then others will see our good deeds, and glorify our heavenly Father.
