When We are Useful to God. Sunday Breakfast With the Word 5th Sunday Ordinary

 

Sunday Breakfast With the Word. Fifth Sunday Ordinary Time of the Year A.

 

Isaiah 58: 7-10, First Corinthians 2: 1-5, Matthew 5: 13-16

 

 CLICK HERE TO READ THE SHORTER VERSION

 

 

Introduction

In nature nothing lives for itself. Everything lives to serve the need of the other. Examples are air, water, land, plants, animals etc. These serve the need for human living.

 

There was once a forest where all animals depended on a small salt spring hidden between rocks. The salt in the water kept them healthy, strengthening their bones, preserving their energy, and curing small ailments.

A tiny antelope discovered the spring first. Instead of guarding it selfishly, the antelope cleared a small path so others could find it.

Later, the elephant came, used it and regained strength. The deer did the same and became swift again. Even the injured lion healed his wounds.

But one day, a cunning hyena said: “Why should this spring serve everyone? Let me muddy it so no one else can benefit.”

He stirred dirt into the spring. Slowly, the water lost its saltiness. The Animals grew weak. Some became sick. Others fought over food. The forest fell into chaos.

Seeing this, the little antelope returned, cleaned the spring daily, protected it, and kept the path open again. Peace slowly returned to the forest. Did you understand something here? We are useful only when we serve others. The antelope is the Christian who chooses service over selfishness. When salt loses its taste, the whole community suffers. One small creature, faithful to its purpose, restored life to an entire forest.

 

The Three Images used in the Gospel today

 

The Three Images used in the gospel today are Salt, Light and a City built on a hilltop. What is interesting about all three of these images is that they are not self-serving.

 

The purpose of these three things is to serve the needs of others. We are yet to understand our Christian calling if we have no positive impact on the lives of those around us, especially those in need.

Authentic service to God has real and practical effects on the welfare of those around us.

Today, we live on our own, we are sometimes always interested only on ourselves, sometimes we become so self-centered forgetting that this type of life is not just unchristian but anti nature.

 

Every Christian is called by God to be an influence on the world around him. Jesus began teaching this concept early in his ministry when he told his disciples that he would make them fishers of men. (Matthew 4:19)

 

Then, in the Sermon on the Mount, He used the illustrations of salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-16) Both salt and light have properties which affect things around them. Let us take these images one by one.

 

 

You are the Salt.

 

Salt is used to enhance the taste of the food we eat. Anything food without salt loses its taste. Salt is also a preservative.

Before refrigeration or canning, most meat was preserved in one of two ways. It was either dried and smoked or it was packed in salt. Packed in salt, meat would last for years. It was a preservative.

 

Salt preserves from decay. Salt is also a curative. It has medicinal qualities. Before the time of modern medicine, salt was used as an antiseptic. Salt was often times poured into an open wound to clean it of any impurities.

 

Secondly, we use salt to make things taste better. It is a seasoning that enhances the flavour of food.  Our presence and actions should touch and enhance the lives of people around us.

 

This is what we are already not what we should. Jesus says “You are” not you may or you will. It is already in our bloodline to be a source of change for the world around us.

 

Being a preservative, we are called to preserve the Biblical standards of faith and morality.  Our presence in the world should heal and not to destroy nor bring disunity.

 

We are to bring hope and healing to the broken hearted. We are called to season the world with the flavour of Grace. We are called to help preserve the world from decay.

 

We are called to help bring healing. Do you know that salt also causes thirst? so we are called to make people become thirsty for Jesus.

 

You are the Light.

 

One simple function of the light is that it must dispel darkness. By dispelling darkness, it brings joy again, it shows the best path to follow and reveals things as they are.

Even God couldn’t create in darkness, and the first thing God created is light. Once light appears, darkness goes into extinction. Our presence should be a light to others.

We have to be a guide leading people to salvation and not misleading them. Do not be a messenger of doom but a messenger for the salvation of souls.

 

What does our presence do in the life of those around us? Are we instruments of light or darkness? Can our actions and presence bring joy or sorrow?

In your family, are you an instrument of progress or backwardness? Do we bring souls to God or sending them away by the way we live?

Jesus has appointed us to bring light to dispel the darkness of the world. It is a sacred duty that we must accept and abide.

 

How to be a Light and Salt.

 

Firstly, when Jesus is saying “You are” he is actually pointing at those disciples and the people listening to Him.

 

These are people who have already decided to follow Him. To be a true light and to make our light shine, we have to make a decision to follow Jesus and listen to Him, then try to live like Him who is the true Light of the world (John 8:12)

 

Finally, from the first reading, the only ways to be a light and salt for the world is to be useful, it is to be guide and helper to the poor around you. This is when you shine in the darkness of their lives.

 

We become light not when we show people that we can rule and intimidate them with our positions, it is not when we brag with what we have, it is not when we show off our material possessions in the public but when we give bread to the hungry, save the needy, shelter the homeless when we see one naked and cover him.

This is when people try to destroy the image of your co-worker or partner but you stand by him to save his or her nakedness.

It is when we refrain from speaking badly of others, gossiping and slandering others. It is also when we serve or do things not just for our own gain but for the good of others. The first reading says, it is then shall our light break forth as the morning.

 

This is the true fast, this is the only way to win Gods favour and heart, this can also be the secret of answered prayers.

The reading says that when we do this, then you shall call, and the Lord will hear.  So, whatever position, you acquire, whoever you are, whether in the family, places of work, positions, offices etc, remember you are there to serve God through the people and not for our own personal glory.

 

There is a famous story told about St. Francis and one of his brothers. One day, the brother said to him, “Father Francis, let us go into the town and preach.”

Francis agreed. They walked through the town together, through the market, past the sick, among the poor, greeting people gently, helping someone lift a load, smiling at children, giving alms quietly, blessing those they met. After hours of walking, they returned to the monastery.

The brother, confused, asked: “Father, when are we going to preach?”

St. Francis replied: “My brother, we have already preached.”

Francis was the salt here, his presence preserved goodness in a corrupt society, softened hardened hearts, and healed broken lives. Francis was light because without shouting or condemning, his life revealed God’s love clearly.

He did not preach himself; he pointed people to God by serving the poor, loving creation, and living simply. He did not hide his lamp, but neither did he blind others with pride. Like salt, his influence was quiet but powerful.  Like light, his goodness exposed darkness without violence. Sometimes the strongest sermon is a holy life lived faithfully.

Conclusion.

 

1.One thing we do not need to forget is that Salt has little influence if it is not used but of great value once it is used in the right proportion.

Jesus also says Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, A lamp is set upon a lampstand where it can provide light for the house. This is our calling.

We are not supposed to hide thinking it is any other body’s business. If we keep quiet, things are going to decay.

We are useful to God only when we are useful to the world and to the people around us. We have a responsibility to transform the environment in which we find ourselves, just as salt transforms food.

Christians sitting alone in the comfort of their homes are unlikely to make much of a difference to the people. We are useful to God only when we useful to others positively.

 

 

2. Like eyeglasses, the usefulness of salt exceeds its size. It is inexpensive but greatly needed and valued by all. Despite how small we can contribute to the world, despite how common it may look like; it can make a huge difference and impacts in the lives of many.

Jesus warns us not to be complacent. If salt loses its taste, it becomes worthless. Salt cannot change its chemical composition; so, it cannot lose its taste and value unless it is adulterated.

In Jesus’ day, much salt was recovered from the Dead Sea and was adulterated with various substances. At some point, the adulteration could become so pronounced that people would discard the salt as worthless.

The danger we have today is that we are tempted to give too much credence to the values generated by the world and too little to the values found in the Bible. Worldly ideals have infiltrated into the moral fiber of our Christian upbringing. This continues to affect us, affect our mission, affect our God given destiny, we now look up to the world instead of Jesus who is the true light.

And now instead of being a source of change, we bring into the world more moral decay, we lose our identity and forget who we are and our mission.

When that happens, we cease to be salt and become “good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.

 

 

3.Your life can preach to others even when you say nothing. You may not stand on a pulpit, but your attitude, choices, and reactions are constantly teaching others something. In your home, the way you speak to your spouse, children, siblings can transform them. At work, your sense of service,  honesty, patience, respect, or bitterness, can influence those around you. In public, how you treat the poor, the weak, or those who annoy you, can make them change. Like St. Francis of Assisi, you may preach without realizing it.

Ask yourself daily: “If someone followed my life today, would they move closer to God or farther away?”

4. Salt works in small quantity, yet it changes everything. Light can be just a lamp, yet it removes darkness from a whole room. You don’t need, big money to help, big titles to influence and big platforms to shine. A phone call, kind word, small donation, defending someone being mocked, refusing to gossip, etc. these are powerful. Never say “It’s too small to matter.” God can still use the small faithfully offered.

May God give us the grace to understand our Christian vocation and be a source of compassion, hope, love, help moral upbringing and upliftment for the needy ones around us. Amen, God bless you.

Fr.Sanctus Mario