From the desk of Ms. Kathleen Cook, Director of Religious Education
Theme: Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus teaches that his disciples are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Summary: This section of Saint Matthew’s Gospel is preceded by the Beatitudes, which like the commandments offer us a way to live in a faithful and loving manner. Living a life of goodness is a manner of praising and worshiping God. Doing good and acting justly is giving
honor and glory to God. This gospel passage uses the images of salt and light to illustrate or demonstrate the call of each person to enhance the world with our presence, just as salt enhances the flavor of food. One of our charges from God is to enhance this life. Another charge is to be light, that is to allow the light of Christ to shine through our actions so that others may be drawn to Christ. We are to enhance and not detract, to illuminate and not darken.
Scripture: Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
The Bible tells us that we should let our light shine. Before our light will shine, we must be plugged in and turned on. We must be plugged in to God’s power supply and we must be turned on for Jesus. When we invite Jesus into our heart, we have Jesus’ power. When we come to church to worship and praise Him and study His Word, we get turned on for Jesus. When we are plugged in and turned on, our light will shine.
Dear Lord, we want our light to shine. We ask You to help us to remember that we need to be plugged in to Your power and we need to be turned on for Jesus. In Jesus' name, amen.
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Vindication is when a person proves that something is true or right. When we obey God and defend what is right, God is our vindicator; God shows that our work is good and right.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Saint Paul tells the people of Corinth that our lives are not based on
“sublimity of words,” meaning grand or impressive words of wisdom. Instead, he says our lives are based on the work of the Spirit. We do not rely on our own power but on the power of God.
Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16
Salt brings out the flavors of the foods we eat. In ancient times, salt was an essential preservative for meat, fish, and vegetables, since refrigerators did not exist. Because of its long-lasting, preserving nature, salt became a symbol of enduring friendships and a sign became a symbol of enduring friendships and a sign of a contract between persons or groups. As “salt of the earth,” Jesus’ followers bring out the best flavors in life, preserve the good news of Jesus’ loving presence, and are faithful friends of God.
My Promise to Jesus: Jesus, this week I will treat everyone with love.
Reflect: If a word or phrase from the Gospel captures your heart, sit quietly for several minutes, repeating it to yourself and asking God to show you how it applies to your life. When was a time when you or someone you know really made a difference after going on a retreat or some other spiritual event? www.smp.org
Suggested book that compliments today’s Gospel:
http://scu.edu/character/build-plant-grow/ Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed Written by Emily Pearson
ISBN: 13:978-0879059781
Pray that you will seek to see Jesus in every person, most especially in those who are in need. The need may not be an obvious one such as feeding the hungry, but it may be a smile or a word of encouragement that will nourish the person’s spirit. There are many different types of hungers, pray that you will be able to identify them and seek to provide joyfully the need if it is within your capability.
Family Discussion:
The widespread use of electricity in our society may make us less aware of the value and importance of light. To re-engage with the power of the metaphor that Jesus offers, gather your family in a darkened room. Bring only one flashlight. Sit together for a minute and consider what you are able to do and see in so little light. You might try opening the Bible to see whether you can read today’s Gospel. Turn on the flashlight and experiment to see how one might use it to achieve the greatest amount of light. Then read today’s Gospel by the light of the flashlight. Ask everyone to consider what it means to say that Christians are to be the light of the world. How might your family act in a way that is a light for others, a light that is worthy to put on a lamp stand? Choose one thing that your family will do this week to show that you are the light of the world. You might choose to participate in an activity that your parish sponsors, such as help with a food pantry. Pray together by singing “This Little Light of Mine.”...
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