The just man is a light in darkness to the upright. — Psalm 112: 4 

Mass Readings: Isaiah 58:7-10 / 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 / Matthew 5:13-16 

Where’s the Salt? 

Jesus warned that His disciples would attract opposition from the world (Mt 5:11-12). In today’s Gospel, using the metaphors of salt and light, Jesus describes the kind of influence disciples exert on the world. 

Take salt, for example. In Bible times, salt-curing kept meat from rotting. Salt drew out the moisture, creating an environment hostile to bacteria, and thus preserving the meat. Author John Stott comments that when society goes bad, “we Christians tend to throw up our hands in pious horror and reproach the non-Christian world; but should we not rather reproach ourselves? One can hardly blame unsalted meat for going bad. It cannot do anything else. The real question to ask is: ‘‘Where is the salt?” Do my words, actions and lifestyle help stop, or at least hinder, the decay around me? 

Prayer: Lord, help me to be a wholesome influence in the lives that intersect with mine.