Matthew 5:13-20
I have struggled to sit and write this week, not for any lack of what to say, but of a lack of courage to be vulnerable. I attempted to silence the spirit that is moving within me, perhaps out of fear. Even as priest, I am still very human and the anticipation of entering the unknown is unsettling, even as the excitement is building for the journey ahead.
The rain didn’t help my anxiety this week. Each day I rose with the hope of the sun breaking through the clouds, but it was cold and windy, and like an episode from The Magic Garden, the harder the wind blew the more I wanted to tuck my head under a blanket and hide away, but the Holy Spirit has a persistent grace. Every time I picked up the prayer book or sat quietly in contemplation she whispered the words of my son. Like particles clinging to a magnet, I could not separate myself from his words, and our scripture, and my living experience in this moment.
Here’s what happened…
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
After a long day, in the dark of the night, I jumped in my car for my journey home. My son called and we had a beautifully deep conversation about politics, humanity, and God. My Daniel is just two weeks shy of his nineteenth birthday, in regard to my new call he said to me, “Mom, remember when you walk through the doors there is just you and the table, there is just you and God, preach the way you have always preached, love them and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.” His words moved every corner of my heart and soul. I was overcome by his love and faith. As we eneded our conversation in the silence to follow the words of God spoke, “You are the Salt and the light.”
I am a disciple entering the mission field as Christ commands.
As a disciple of Christ, I am ever so mindful of the many uses and values of salt. Salt heals wounds, salt calms inflammation, salt preserves and draws out the flavor, salt even helps us stay afloat and balances our composition, but if salt ceases to be salt it is nothing. It is useless. To be the Salt of the earth we are tasked by Christ as living disciples to build and draw upon the goodness of God’s creation. We are to restore the health in mind, body, and spirit of humanity and every living being honoring the dignity of all. We are to love and allow ourselves to be loved for who we are authentically in Christ.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
I like you have been given many gifts from God. Those gifts and our awareness of the grace of those gifts are a great reflection of our witness to Christ’s love for us and the spirit of his life in us. Some are given the gift of voice with a beautiful song, others the gift of abundance to share, some the gift of writing or the gift of numbers. Some have the gift of compassion, of art, of science, of charism or leadership. We all have many, many gifts, discovered and some yet to be uncovered as we live more fully among one another. We are tasked to gather our gifts, go out into the world and share them with many allowing others to see us as disciples of Christ giving thanks to the glory of God who blesses us along our journey. And in the words of my dear mentor, “You be you.” Live and Love authentically in Christ.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter,[a] not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks[b] one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
While we often pay very close attention to the first part of our scripture, the salt, and light, the second part about the Law and the Prophets is sometimes lost. We must not let it fall away from the scripture, in fact, we must pay close attention to it’s call to responsibility as we move forward in our discipleship as the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World. Here Jesus reminds us to be of whole conscious in leading others to him. He reminds us that any misrepresentation of law to intentionally mislead and/or deceive others to break the law alongside us will not be rewarded. He also reminds us that we are to live as we preach, not to be hypocrites.
In the words of my Daniel, I heard God’s command, not only as Salt and the Light being a disciple, but also to live authentically and fully into the laws that have bound me to my freedom in Christ. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Love one another. Truly, love one another, and allow the spirit of God the room to grow the bonds between us as we grow in Christ’s love for us.
May the power of God that gives light to the stars, that gives breath to every living being, enkindle in us the fire of the Holy Spirit and empower us with strength and courage that we, as bearers of love and justice, become a living blessing for all the world.
Blessings, Mo. Allison+
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