"salt Of The Earth" And "light Of The World" Series

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls his disciples “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13–16). He is not offering a compliment. He is giving a mandate. He is defining both our identity and our mission. These images tell us how believers are meant to live within the world: preserving what is good, revealing what is true, and radiating God’s presence through concrete action.

In the ancient world, salt had three primary functions: it preserved food, purified what was corrupted, and added flavor. Salt kept things from spoiling. It made what was good last longer. It brought out what would otherwise remain hidden. In fact, in Roman times, salt was so valuable that soldiers were sometimes paid with it which is where the word salary comes from.

So the question for us today is direct and personal:

How am I salt in the world around me? How am I light?

Jesus warns that salt can lose its taste. In other words, a disciple can lose spiritual effectiveness. In our time, this happens subtly. We are constantly influenced by media, by online content, by conversations, by attitudes that surround us. Much of what we consume is not evil in itself, but it can be empty, distracting, or corrosive if we are not discerning. Technology is not bad it is a tool but without wisdom it forms us instead of serving us.

The same is true of the people and voices we allow to shape our thinking. Constant negativity, cynicism, and falsehood slowly affect the heart. We may think we are immune, but influence is real. The company we keep digitally and personally matters. The Gospel calls us not to withdraw from the world, but to remain spiritually grounded within it.

Then Jesus says: You are the light of the world. Notice He does not say you should try to be light. He says you are. Light is not loud. Light does not force itself. Light simply shines and because it shines, others can see.

To be light is not about drawing attention to ourselves. It is about living in such a way that God becomes visible through us. When our choices are rooted in truth, when our actions reflect charity, when our lives show integrity light is present. Often it appears in small acts: patience, honesty, mercy, encouragement, faithfulness in daily duties. A small lamp still gives real light.

The light of Christ also shines through our personal stories not only the joyful chapters, but also the difficult ones. When we look back with faith, we begin to recognize that God was present even when we did not see Him at the time.

Growing up, I was not strongly connected to the Catholic faith. But when I look back now, I can clearly see that God was working in my life long before I recognized it. Sometimes it takes years to see His hand.

When I was a young deacon, I preached several times in a parish near the seminary. Some professors attended those Masses. Afterward they told me, “That sounded like your vocation story.” When they heard me preach again, they said the same thing and again and again. Finally I told them: none of those homilies was my vocation story or maybe all of them were. Because whenever we tell a true story of struggle, grace, decision, and hope, God’s action is there.

People connect with real stories because they recognize truth in them. Testimony is a form of light.

So, here is your homework your Gospel mandate (mission) for this week:

Go back into your life and find one story a joyful one or a difficult one and ask: Where was God present there?

Name it. Reflect on it. Share it with someone.

When you do that, you become light. You help another person see that God is still active, still near, still working.

That is how disciples live their identity.

That is how salt keeps its taste.

That is how light shines in the world.