You are the light of the world; you are salt of the earth! These are called wisdom sayings
meant to stimulate our imagination, remind us our responsibilities as disciples of Christ.
How can we be like light and salt? We know that light travels, it is energy, light is used to
heal problems like depression, laser beams, light is used in surgery. Star wars movies
use swords of light, more powerful than other weapons. The light we have as Christians
is a spiritual power, the light we received from Christ. It is given to us to fight against
forces of darkness that destroy human dignity, harmony and peace in the world. God
wants to see fairness in the world, all forms of oppression end, burdens removed and
break the power of darkness by living the gospel of Christ. Like light Christians travel all
over the world, go to hell like dark places, confront a culture of death, to bring hope,
comfort and peace to many.

Jesus said: you are the salt of the earth, light of the world, a city set on a hill. When the
disciples heard these sayings, what did they understand? They knew salt is necessary
for everyday life. Salt mixed with camel or donkey dung, dried in the sunlight used as
fuel for cooking. Once burned the elements of salt is gone; these tablets were thrown
outside. In the ancient world cities were built on hills; their famous city Jerusalem is on a
hill top, the temple and other buildings could be seen from far. Light is for shining and
salt is for seasoning; if you hide the light or try use saltless tablets for fuel, you make
yourself foolish. Salt is also a symbol of wisdom. Christ and his gospel is like salt, light
that changes and reforms personal lives and the world. Like lamp that shines the gospel
enlightens the minds to see the meaning and purpose of life, to see that salvation has
come in Christ.

God does not withdraw his grace or offer of salvation from us but how do we respond to
the light of Christ in us. There is temptation to hide our faith or think faith should not
influence my thinking or living. ‘Talk is talked but walk is not walked’. Jesus says: may
your faith be known through your good works. The wounds of hunger in the world,
human cruelty, violence and frustrations can be healed by good works of caring
presence of each other. 1 Jn 3:17: ‘I ask you, how can God’s love survive in a man who
has enough of this world’s goods, yet closes his heart to his brother who he sees in
need’. Through good works we make faith a joyful experience. Pope Francis: ‘if we live
faith in daily life, then our work too becomes a chance to spread the joy of being a
Christian’. Let your joy as a Christian be contagious-shine your light. In the morning, do
not wake up into despair. Jesus says: my love enfolds you, there is no reason to fear,
begin again. Feel, as if you are standing on a hill for all to see and let the light of Christ
shine through you! Light of Christ in us is his love! St. Theresa of Lisieux once said, ‘in
the heart of the church, I shall be love’. Say this to yourself every morning, ‘in the heart
of my family, I shall be love today, I shall be like light’!