Reflection for February 5, 2022

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A

Isaiah 58:7-10 | Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 | 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 | Matthew 5:13-16

My dear Sisters and Brothers, we take salt and light for granted in our society nowadays, but these commodities were more precious in ancient cultures. Jesus’ call to be salt for the earth and light for the world powerfully states our mission as Church and as Christians. Our commitment to social justice flows from the exhortation that Jesus gives us on this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In order to build a world of justice and peace, we have to become preservative, medicine, seasoning and illuminator. 

Preservative. Salt preserves food from corruption. In the absence of refrigeration, salt has been used to preserve dried meat and fish, so that food that would normally go bad within hours can be safely stored for weeks or months. Interestingly, salt by itself is no good. Salt only becomes useful when applied to other things. In the same manner, a Christian only serves his purpose if he exists for others. In our First Reading, the Prophet Isaiah offers examples of how we can become agents of preservation. “Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, etc." To be upright in God’s sight we must somehow learn to share our blessings with the poor. Rodino, a good friend of mine, rides MRT-3 every weekday to get to and from his work in Cubao. He gets on the train daily at Taft Avenue Station so he is able to catch a seat each time even if the train gets filled up pretty quickly. He noticed that the passengers are not observing "priority seating". People catch seats a la Trip to Jerusalem and simply ignore and leave the elderly, pregnant, baby-carrying, or the physically challenged standing. He said, "It breaks my heart that no one is giving up seats for them. I cannot stand seeing them having to stand in a very packed train. "What did you do?" I asked. He said, "Each time this happens, I close my eyes, then I would no longer see!"

Medicine. Salt has innumerable healing qualities. A spoonful of salt in a glass of water can be used as gargle when we have sore throat. A salt water bath heals cuts and wounds faster. The salt cure might sting or hurt a bit, but it's very effective in killing bacteria! As Christians, we must bring healing to a hurting world. We must disinfect the dying world by giving it a dose of truth. Sometimes, the truth will hurt badly. We will face persecution and will be hated by many for standing up for Christ. We will be falsely accused of being hypocritical, self-righteous and judgmental. Let us find comfort and consolation in the words of Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, the saintly Poor Clare in EWTN, "If you're not a thorn in somebody's side, you aren't doing Christianity right." We cannot compromise on sin. Always remember that Jesus wants us to be salt of the earth and not sugar of the world! It's been an unhealthy habit that many people are always adding sugar to almost everything to make it taste sweeter. Unfortunately, the problem isn't limited only in the diets of people but also in the manner the Word of God is being proclaimed. Some think that it's better to have a popular and appealing presentation of the Gospel instead of the hard facts. As Christians, we denounce the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations. As Christians we can not agree with the Divorce Bill. As Christians, we must not approve of misgovernance of our country. To consent and to keep silent in front of evil is to be an accomplice to it. As Venerable Fulton J. Sheen said, "Sometimes the only way the good Lord can get into some hearts is to break them."

Seasoning. Salt brings out the taste of food. When one puts salt to watermelon or tomatoes, he says "The watermelon tastes good!" or "best tomatoes ever!" He does not say, "The salt tastes good!" or "best salt ever!" The purpose of salt is to make food taste better. It is not the food. So please do not just eat salt by itself. There is a desire in our hearts for acceptance, and we feel right accepting recognition from others when we think we’ve done something well. Saint Paul, in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, did not deliver a flowery speech during his travel to Corinth. He did not praise himself or tell the people about his personal achievements to establish credibility or his reputation. He wanted the faith of the Corinthians to rest in God, not in the eloquence of the speaker. As Christians, our goal in letting our light shine should not be for our own recognition, but for the God’s glory. Joyce, a sales rep, failing to achieve her sales quota for the month complained to her supervisor, "One can draw the horse into the water but he can not force it to drink!" The sales supervisor answered, "Joyce, it is not your job to make the horse drink. Your job is to make it thirsty!" Are you making anyone in your life thirsty to know about Christ? Do people want to flock to Church because you showcased to them the life of Christ?

Illuminator. Because God is light and he has come into us as light, we are children of light – we are becoming the same as God in his expression, we are becoming the light of the world! Christ shines on us, in us, and through us. But what does it mean to be a bright light for Jesus? At the end of the Mass the priest says “Go in peace”. This concluding sentence sums up our entire lives as Christians. We don't light a lamp and put it under a bowl. We are to illumine our society in its darkness. That light is to shine, but there is no shining without burning. Shining will cost us something. It means that having received the light, we have to pass it on to others. After receiving Jesus in the Word and Bread at Holy Mass, we have to "glow" and "go".  Through our actions, Christ is displayed to all those around. This way we are able to inspire them to become people of the light! The Holy Mass is of little value if afterwards we don’t actually go out into the world in the peace of Christ, offering help to those who need it and proclaiming the Gospel to all we encounter. And there are no sabbaticals or vacations or time freeze in becoming a Christian. If you are going to be the light of the world Jesus calls us to be, our light can’t be switched on and off. It is meant to burn 24/7. Later on, as Father says “Go in peace,” let's get out there and shine!

Dear God, may I become salt for the earth and light for the world. Infuse your saltiness in me, so that i do not become flat and useless. Give me the passion to preserve, heal, and enhance others through works of mercy. Through the Holy Eucharist, fuel the light in me so I can serve you faithfully by shining your light and illuminating others in my evert thought, word and deed. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. <enrique, ofs>