Welcoming the Holy

Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.

“You are the salt of the earth. ... You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5.13,15)

 

Opening Prayer

Creator God, You gave the world salt and light long before Jesus came to be one with us. Even then it was good. But with Jesus, we experience salt and light in our lives in unexpected ways as we serve one another. Thank you for all that we savor and all that we see because of Your Son. May we daily be salt and light for others in His name. Amen.

Reflection

Salt by itself is useless. It is virtually unobtrusive, unnoticed until it is missing. Jesus says of His followers not that we are to be salt, but rather the salt of the earth to be mixed with the earth, mixed with the world, into all human affairs to make Christ’s message savory. Salt also tenderizes. We are called to bring out God’s tenderness in all we do.

Light alone is useless, too. Light alone does not make us see anything at all. Light can hurt, as with prisoners who are tortured by shining bright light into their eyes. But Jesus says “You are the light of the world.” We light up our neighborhood so that others can see. We brighten the world and make the hidden visible. We are likewise called to lighten upthe borders, the edges of life so that people can walk with confidence in potentially dangerous places.

Along the road of life, Jesus says that we must “let our life shine before others so that they may see the good we do and give glory to God.” (Matthew 5.16) Paul reminds us to “let our speech be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that we know how we should respond to one another.’ (Colossians 4.6)

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, help us renew our sense of belonging to you by using daily the salt and light you give us to make our way together. Your offer of these gifts is generous. May our response be generous too. Amen.