Salt and light

THAT’S what Christ tells us about who we are and what we

are supposed to do in this world. “You are the salt of the earth…You

are the light of the world.” (cfr. Mt 5,13-16) He addressed these

words to his disciples. And if we consider ourselves also as disciples

of his, then we should also regard these words as being addressed to

us.

            We have to take these words seriously and figure out how

we can conform ourselves to what Christ wants us to be. We know that

salt somehow gives a certain flavor to our food as well as helps in

preserving highly perishable food items. Light, of course, enables us

to see things clearly.

            We can readily conclude that what Christ wants is for us

to provide Christian flavor in a world that is fast evolving, as well

as help in preserving the true Christian spirit in a world that is so

exposed to a lot of changes, many of them with their luggage of

dangers even as they also offer a lot of benefits.

            We also are meant to give light to the others by giving

good example and by actively doing apostolate, leading people to God

along the right if prudent and tortuous and treacherous paths of this

world. With rectitude of intention, we have to inspire others to

follow us so that with us they can come to Christ.

            Let’s make St. Paul’s words ours also: “Be imitators of

me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor 11,1) These words are a corollary to

what Christ said about us being light of the world: “Your light must

shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify

your heavenly Father.” (Mt 5,16)

            Let’s try our best that we too can echo another of St.

Paul’s words: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal 2,20)

This is the ideal to aim at, because Christ himself said, “I am the

light of the world…the man who follows me will have the light of

life.” (Jn 8,12)

            We can only give the true light if we have the light of

Christ, if we are with Christ and so identified with him that whoever

sees and hears us sees and hears Christ. (cfr. Lk 10,16)

            We cannot overemphasize, therefore, our need to be

identified with Christ who, after all, is the pattern of our humanity

and the savior of our damaged humanity. We are supposed to ‘alter

Christus’ (another Christ) if not ‘ipse Christus’ (Christ himself), an

ideal that can be realized by us because Christ has given us all the

means for it.

            We should just do our part, studying deeply the life and

teachings of Christ, incarnating them into our life, and availing

ourselves of the sacraments where Christ himself, especially in the

Holy Eucharist, gives himself to us even as food.

            We should be so identified with Christ that wherever we

are, whatever the situation, we always feel the urge, if not the

instinct, to give witness to him through our words and deeds. Even if

we are deeply immersed in our earthly affairs, with all the mundane

and technical things they involve, we should be able to project and

channel the presence and the abiding work of Christ on all of us.

            For this, we need to have a certain boldness, overcoming

our usual shyness and awkwardness in carrying out this duty. If we

remain simple and humble, we actually can do it with great ease,

because more than us it would be Christ who will be doing things

through us and with us.

            Let us be salt and light of this world as Christ wants us

to be. And let’s encourage and help everyone else to be so. This is

actually where our true joy is, where our true self-fulfillment can be

achieved.