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Gospel: Matthew 5: 13-16
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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There was a strange practice in some of the early Christian churches.
If someone was expelled because of a moral issue, or if the person left the faith willingly, before being accepted back into the community, they would lie at the door of the church, saying, “Trample upon me who was the salt which lost its flavor.”
Such a humbling practice – being trampled upon – was derived from Jesus words in today’s Gospel. “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt loses its taste, it is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
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People loved salt for three reasons: its purity, its antiseptic quality, and its taste.
Christians must be similar: pure in mind, body, and heart. If we participate in gossip, immoral behavior, or any form of impurity, then how will we spread the faith?
Salt is antiseptic. It keeps meat from going bad. Similarly, we’re called to preserve the good in people, uplifting their spirits. If we insult or drag them down, then what good are we?
Salt gives flavor, making anything taste better! Similarly, Christians are called to spread love and joy, brightening people’s days. Depressed disciples lose their taste, making the Gospel seem unappealing.
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You and I are called to be the salt of the earth: living pure lives, bringing out the good in others, and spreading joy.
What does it look like for me to be a salty Christian today?
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