God calls us to be both “light & salt” in the world. Isaiah reminds when we share our “bread with the
hungry, shelter the oppressed & the homeless …. Then [our] light shall
break forth like the dawn ….” We prayed in our Responsorial psalm the just
are “a light in the darkness.” In Corinthians St. Paul reminds us that
our “… faith … rests on the power of God.”
Then in Matthew’s Gospel he instructs us
to be “salt of the earth, light of the world.” He urges us to not lose
our flavor as Christians & not to hide our light.
de Sales wrote, “Great occasions of serving God seldom present themselves, but little
ones are frequent …. ‘Do all things in the name of God & you will do all
things well.’ ” [Reflections of St.
Francis deSales on Living Jesus, p.109]
Let me share a story with you,
“God Shows Through”
One Sunday as they drove home from church,
a little girl said to her mother, “Mommy, there
is something about today’s homily that I don’t understand.’
Mom said, “What
is it?”
The little girl replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. He said God is so big that He could hold the
whole world in His hand.
Is that true?”
Mom replied, “Yes,
that’s true ….”
“But Mommy, he also said
that God lives inside us - Is that true, too?”
Again, Mom said that was true!
With a puzzled look the little asked,
“If God is bigger than us
& He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?”
The little girl is right about God showing
through, when God shows though our actions – we are LIGHT for the world.
Our good works help God’s light to shine
in the darkness of our world. Our faith is not a private affair, we shouldn’t hide
under a basket. Jesus challenge us to be His disciples to be His missionaries “salt” for
the Kingdom & “light” for the world. In Jesus’ time salt was a precious
commodity; Jesus is telling you & me that we are precious. To be salt &
light for the earth, is to “Do all things in the
name of God & you will do all things well. ” [St.
Francis deSales]
Our Discipleship is our moral compass, in
life. I want to share with you one of my favorite stories to aid us in
realizing the cost of Discipleship.
The Academy Award-winning actress Marcia
Gay Harden played her best role for the Make-A-Wish Foundation portraying Snow
White for Bonnie, a little girl dying of cancer.
Snow White was Bonnie’s favorite movie,
& she wanted to meet Snow White, so the date was set. As Marcia was
preparing for her bedside Performance, a casting agency called her to audition
for a new Olive Stone movie. The auditions were scheduled for the same day as
her Snow-White performance.
Neither could be changed, her hospital
performance for Bonnie or her chance for the movie. After a sleepless night and
many tears Marcia decided to keep her promise to the little girl. Marcia as
Snow White entered Bonnie’s room - her face lit up. After the performance
Bonnie asked Snow White, “When I die, will the
prince kiss me & then I’ll wake up again?” The room fell silent as Marcia tried to
think of what to say.
Finally, she said, “No, Bonnie, It is even better. When you get to heaven,
God will kiss you & then you will wake up again.” Years later,
Marcia reflected: “At that moment in the
hospital room with Bonnie …. I knew that I was exactly where I was meant to be,
playing exactly the role, I was meant to play.” [Connections, April
2008, pg2] Marcia
was salt for Bonnie. Jesus teaches us today that following Him why we are here.
For a few minutes think
about how you will be light & salt for God here on earth.
May God Be Praised.
