5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today’s gospel, Jesus used two simple metaphors to outline the role of His disciples in the world.
In the first metaphor, Jesus compares His disciples with “salt”. He said, “You are the salt of the earth.” Salt is a substance that is very familiar to us. In the context of Jesus’ preaching, salt is used as a seasoning, because He did go on to say, “But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?” Honestly speaking, salt cannot lose its saltiness. But the salt in Jesus’ day was not the highly refined salt that we use today. Scholars say that the “salt” collected around the Dead Sea contains a mixture of other minerals. So it was possible for salt to lose its taste. Likewise, it was possible for Jesus’ followers to lose their saltiness if they allow other ideas contrary to the Truth of the gospel to rule their life. So Jesus was implying that His disciples had a particular function to perform – the ability to transform the world through His gospel. But if they lose the salt-like flavor, then they would render themselves tasteless and useless. They would be worthless, not being able to exert any kind of influence in the world.
In the second metaphor, Jesus likens His disciples to “light”. He said to them, “You are the light of the world”. In the context of his preaching, Jesus was talking about the light that dispels darkness for. He said, “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” At the time of Jesus, most Judean houses were built on the top or sides of mountains, and travelers could see them from afar. Perhaps Jesus pointed to such a city, to tell his disciples that they were like it. Jesus ended his preaching on light with a powerful statement: “Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” It was not a suggestion but a command from Jesus. Yes. Jesus commanded his disciples to let their light shine before others. And they must live a righteous, holy, humble, pure and selfless life so as to draw attention to God the Father and never to themselves.
What does this all mean for us?
1. You and I have not been called just to be saved but also to function as “salt of the earth” and “light of the world”.
2. We are already salt of the earth by our baptism. Now it is up to us not to lose it saltiness or taste but to stay valuable and useful to the world – adding flavor to the lives of others, giving meaning where there is no meaning and giving hope where there is no hope.
3. We are already the light of the world by our baptism. Now it is up to us to stand on top of the hill and shine forth for God. Instead of keeping our faith as a private matter or to ourselves, we must share the gift of faith with others.