+ John I. Okoye
DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Isaiah 58, 7-10; 1 Cor 2,1-5; Matt 5,13-16: 5th Sunday of the Year A, 2017)
(Isaiah 58, 7-10; 1 Cor 2,1-5; Matt 5,13-16: 5th Sunday of the Year A, 2017)
You are the salt of the earth! You are the light of the world! These significant words of Jesus are destined to all the members of the people of God, to all Christians, the apostles and disciples of Jesus today. All Christians will have to be salt and light of the world. Jesus uses these two metaphors to characterize the essence of discipleship. The importance of salt cannot be questioned by anyone. It is not only essential for life itself, but also valuable for preserving, seasoning, purifying food and also for fertilizing. Because of its significance, it was used in various sacrifices (cf. Lev 2,13) and also a means of sealing certain covenants (Num 4,6). In the gospel passage of today the primary value of salt is in its taste. In a sense salt looses its separate identity when it gives taste to something else. Its value resides in the way it acts on another substance. This is what Jesus is alluding to when he says salt is worthless if it loses its taste. It can no longer act on anything. This is an important characteristic when you apply the metaphor to the disciples. Their worth is gauged according to the influence they have on one another. The second metaphor is light. The disciples are told that they are the light of the world. Two distinct images are used to exemplify the role played by light. The first is a city on a mountain and the second is a lamp on a stand in a house. The first calls to mind a village at night. There are no lights on the road to dissipate darkness. Then on the top of the mountain one can see a light in a distant village from the generating plant of the Igwe (chief) or one wealthy man, of the village. The surrounding darkness only accentuates the light from the village, which serves as a beacon leading the traveller to a place of safety. The second image is a lamp intended to provide light in the house. The flame is uncovered and held high so that its flame lights up the entire room. The apostolic meaning of the metaphor of light is further explained. True disciples are the light that shines forth in the darkness of ignorance or faithlessness. They enlighten others not by words but by their manner of living.
The important question is: can we as disciples, in our capacity alone, as salt influence our neighbours for good or as light enlighten others? In the second reading of last Sunday Paul indicated that Christ chose what was weak, poor, and of little value in order to confound the powerful and wise ones of this world. In today’s second reading, Paul holds that he presented the good news not in the show of oratory or philosophy, but in fear and trembling and not relying on any power of his own. Yet his message was a demonstration of the power of the Spirit and the faith he was able to inculcate in the Corinthians was dependent on the power of God rather than on human philosophy. Thus, Paul was able to preach effectively to the Corinthians due to divine support he received and not on account of his human capabilities. Therefore, through human possibility alone we are not capable of being the salt and light of the world. We can be so only because Christ supports us with his grace and also by virtue of our union with Christ through faith and love. It is Christ, and he alone, who is the true light which can illumine everyone who comes into the world with the light of his truth. It is only he who can orient and guide people in the right direction. It is only Christ, and he alone, who is able to give taste and flavor to life, offer joy in living and preservation from corruption from evil. It is to the measure in which we allow ourselves be penetrated by this salt and illumined by this light who is Christ that we become ourselves salt and light for others. What is more: Christ has illumined us not so that his light becomes hidden (to illumine only ourselves) but rather that it radiates and reaches out to other people. We have not been given the joy to live in grace and recognize ourselves as the children of God just for our personal satisfaction but also that this taste of life be communicated through us to our brothers and sisters.
One can ask: how can one in concrete terms be salt and light of the world? Today’s gospel gives an indication when it holds: … your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven. It is our good works that reveal the Christ in us, lead people to God and Christ and make us salt and light of the world.Which good works in particular? These are works of charity and mercy as Isaiah graphically inculcates to us in the first reading. These mandates of charity address most of the basic human needs: food, shelter, and clothing. The original Hebrew text of the passage of Isaiah highlights the personal involvement required in meeting the needs of others. The involvement does not take place in a distance, through an agency, but face to face. For example: Isaiah holds: share your bread with the hungry. Here the verb share (paras) means to break into two. There is no thought here of merely giving from one’s surplus. Rather, both giver and recipient eat of the same loaf. Sheltering the homeless is also a very personal act. The original Hebrew text holds that the poor who have been cast out are to be brought into one’s house. The naked is to be covered wherever they are encountered. It is on this passage from Isaiah that we have to examine ourselves to know if we are salt and light of the world. We all have to do so. This is because it is very easy to reduce our faith and religiosity to only acts of external/exterior cult only. It is however pleasing to God and he wishes to know who shares bread with the hungry, provides accommodation to the homeless, job to the jobless, and care to one who suffers. In concluding our reflection we bring to mind the words of Jesus in the gospel of today: If salt looses its taste … it is good for nothing and can only be thrown out to be trampled underneath by men. Therefore, if we are not salt and light for the people we encounter in everyday life we are worthless and failure in our Christian vocation as the modern day disciples of Jesus. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye
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