You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  (Matthew 5:13-15)

Matthew 5:13-16

As light of the world, we are called to radical self-giving. Light exists not for itself but for others—to reveal, warm, and guide. A candle cannot save itself if it is to give light to others. To be light means to burn, to be consumed in service and love, just as Christ poured himself out for us. Our faith is not a private flame to be guarded and hidden; it is meant to spread, to become the “fire that enkindles other fires,” setting hearts ablaze with God’s love and transforming communities. 

Salt, too, reveals this paradox of self-loss for the greater glory of God. It preserves against decay and adds flavour to meals. Yet salt fulfils its purpose only by dissolving—losing its form to penetrate and transform. As salt of the earth, we are called to preserve the life of God in us by immersing and dissolving ourselves in the world’s chaos, making visible the “invisible” hand of God’s love, healing wounds, and bringing hope to the hopeless.

Where do I shy away from being salt and light? 

How can I let my faith kindle another heart?

Lord Jesus,
you have called us to be salt and light for the world. Give us flavour that brings hope and fire that enkindles other hearts. Help us to preserve goodness, to heal division, and to shine brightly in the darkness. 
Through Christ our Lord. 
Amen.
 

Reflections by Francis Koshoffa SJ

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