Tuesday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time
The place was the Mount of the Beatitudes and there gathered the usual crowd and, of course, Jesus’ disciples. He went up the mountain like Moses of old and taught. In the course of His teaching, Jesus spoke directly to the disciples – He did not offer a wish or make a prayer, or state an obligation.
He presented to them pointedly and lovingly a declaration: “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world.” How startling these words must have been to these very ordinary, humble folk – “You are these here and now – ‘salt and light’.” Jesus’ words are extravagant when we consider what He said.
As salt – you are a sort of flavor, seasoning of the earth – not just of Galilee or Judea but of the whole earth. As light – you are a source of light, of illumination of the whole world – not just where they lived, walked, familiar ground but of the world.
Surely they were amazed, even troubled – maybe they laughed looking around at one another “us…salt and light??” Yet, somehow they were much uplifted by the Master’s proclamation, His gracious affirmation. The Master whom they knew was never given to empty praise nor any kind of honorific deceit.
Jesus is truth incarnate and always spoke the truth to them, to anyone. “This is who you are – you are identified with Me, the Master!” They were very ordinary men, imperfect, human through and through living extraordinarily, significantly because of the Lord Jesus.
In return, they could have said to Jesus: “But Master, You are the Divine Salt, You are the eternal Light – it is truly because of You that we share in Your grace. You alone make it possible.”
Here and now, in this church, we are graced to be in the Presence of the One who is Divine Salt and Eternal Light – what follows from this? What does it mean for us?
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