Anne O’Brien, Deputy Chief Executive Officer: Mission, People and Culture for St Agnes’ Catholic Parish, presents our Gospel Reflections over the next few days.

Today, Anne reads from the Gospel of Matthew (5: 13-16) in which Jesus tells his follows they are to be ‘the salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’.

Anne says,’ Light of the World and Salt of the Earth’ – what a powerful expression!

Jesus preferred simple everyday imagery to make his point, as demonstrated in today’s Gospel reading which follows on from the Sermon on the Mount, in yesterday’s Gospel. Here, Jesus clearly articulates what is expected of his followers. He uses the powerful images of salt and light. We are to be salt of the earth, we are to be light of the world.

Salt was highly valued in the ancient world. It was used as a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, and as a unit of exchange in trade and currency.

Just as salt enhances the flavour of food, and serves as a preservative, to ‘be salt of the earth’ means to be useful and helpful, and to make a real and positive difference to the world. We are to be a presence which brings out the best in our society.

As for light, it too is vital to life. Light dispels darkness, warming all it reaches, illuminating all in its path. Jesus’ followers would have appreciated how a single lamp would illuminate their house at night. We know that the very existence of life on Earth depends on the light from the sun. It warms our seas, generates our weather patterns, powers our solar energy systems, and gives energy to the growing green plants that provide food and oxygen for life on Earth.

To be the light of the world means that we are to bring light, to bring warmth, to illuminate and enlighten all that nurtures life in our world. It means that we are to dispel darkness caused by ignorance or selfishness or prejudice. It means that we will be light for others, illuminating their way on life’s journey.

Jesus’ teaching, this Christian message, is very simple and yet so profoundly challenging. We are to have a life-giving effect on others, on the society in which we live, and on the world around us.

In today’s Gospel, Anne says, we are being challenged us to reflect on what we do and how we might do it better. How are we going to approach this challenge from today’s gospel?
Such strong symbolism about what we should do.

Anne invites us all to take up this challenge together, and ask ourselves ‘How are we the salt and light?’

The answer will help us make the world a better place. And don’t think that our small steps won’t make a difference, as we can all make a difference, one step at a time.