It\u2019s early in Jesus\u2019 ministry and his time with the disciples. He\u2019s called them from their various places and they have followed him, all around Galilee, listening to him teach and preach in the synagogues and watched him heal every disease and infirmity\u2014all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics and paralytics.<\/p>\n
The result of all this is that great crowds were following Jesus, people coming for the towns and villages around Galilee, as far away as Jerusalem and all the countryside in between.<\/p>\n
The disciples have had a front row seat for Jesus\u2019 ministry and getting a sense of his mission. They heard him preach, watched the miracles, and seen the impact he had on individuals as well as the crowds.<\/p>\n
All of which was well and good\u2014a vital part of a disciple\u2019s formation was simply to follow, watch and listen to their master and teacher. But Jesus didn\u2019t call the 12 to simply be spectators or interested bystanders of his ministry. He called them for much more and the Sermon on the Mount (where today\u2019s gospel found) is where Jesus sets out for them in detail what this life of discipleship will look like.<\/p>\n
Now the Sermon on the Mount is three chapters long and what we have here are 8 verses from the beginning of this particular teaching. So while today\u2019s passage isn\u2019t an exhaustive explication of discipleship it does lay a foundation for understanding what it means to follow Christ. And to be clear, while Jesus originally addressed the 12 with these words, he is speaking today through his word each one of us who would follow him by virtue of our baptism.<\/p>\n
To begin with, Jesus\u2019 comparison of the disciples to salt and light shows that he expects them to have an impact in the world.<\/p>\n
There are a couple of items that need to be unpacked here. First of all Jesus is speaking in declarative statements here\u2014\u201cYou are the salt of the earth\u201d, \u201cYou are the light of the earth\u201d\u2014not \u2018you might be\u2026\u2019, \u2018someday you could be\u2026\u2019 or \u2018try your best to be\u2026\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are the salt of the earth\u201d, \u201cYou are the light of the world\u201d\u00ad\u2014if one is a disciple of Jesus, this is non-negotiable. By your baptism and gift of the Holy Spirit, you are salt and light. Really the only thing we can \u201cdo\u201d here is to refuse to be salt and light and if that\u2019s the case then we are refusing the gift of our baptism and turning our backs on the promises of Christ.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are the salt of the earth\u201d, \u201cYou are the light of the world\u201d, means these are not qualities we create in ourselves, in our own strength and wisdom, rather it is God working through us in the power of the Spirit. As we live in the promises of our baptism we can\u2019t help but be salt and light.<\/p>\n
Second what does it mean to be salt and light?<\/p>\n
Salt and light are necessary for life. For them to do the work and have the impact they were intended to have, they can\u2019t be contained or hidden away. So having salt sitting in a shaker in the cupboard or on the table does nothing for the food until it is shaken out. Likewise you don\u2019t light a lamp or turn on a light and then cover it up, you let it shine.<\/p>\n
So just as salt and light impact their surroundings when allowed to do what they were created to, so too for us as followers of Jesus, when we live in the promises of our baptism we can\u2019t help but have an impact and influence on our surroundings.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s at this point that some of us, for a variety of reasons, start to get in our own heads and psych ourselves out, getting caught up in speculation as to what we might be called to do and how it would be impossible for us to do so.<\/p>\n
But here\u2019s the thing, Jesus\u2019s declaration ,\u201cYou are the salt of the earth\u201d, \u201cYou are the light of the world\u201d, are not conditional on our age, skill set, gifts, abilities finances, personalities or anything else, other than just following him. If you are following him \u201cYou are the salt of the earth\u201d, \u201cYou are the light of the earth\u201d, how you go about doing that is unique to you. If you are following Jesus you can\u2019t help but be salt and light\u2014perhaps not in ways others or even you may regularly notice but God is working in and through you nonetheless.<\/p>\n
Just as salt and light do their works in the world by being salt and light, you are called to do the work of Christ in the world by being who he created you to be and made you to be in his power in your baptism. And doing so is quite simple (not necessarily easy but simple). In the words of St. Francis \u201cStart by\u00a0doing\u00a0what’s necessary; then\u00a0do\u00a0what’s\u00a0possible; and suddenly you are\u00a0doing\u00a0the impossible.\u201d Start with doing what\u2019s right in front of you. And as you focus on that God will direct you to what might be next.<\/p>\n
Which leads to the next part of Jesus\u2019 teaching, which concerns the law. If you read this carefully you\u2019ll note that there nothing but action in these verses. Jesus is coming to fulfill the law. His disciples are called to keep, to do the commandments\u2014the two greatest being to love God and love our neighbour. This is what being salt and light look like\u2014doing the commandments of loving God and our neighbour.<\/p>\n
Concerning the commandments, Jesus tells his disciples to do them and teach them. Note well the order here. Doing comes before teaching. Action before words. Or to put it bluntly, our priority is to do the commandments of loving God and neighbour and then the important work of talking about them.<\/p>\n
Because following Jesus is a way of living, a way of being in the world, for which God the Holy Spirit empowers us so we and those around us might know Christ.<\/p>\n
Jesus intended and intends his followers to be active in the world in deed and in word thus he declares\u2014\u201cYou are the salt of the earth\u201d, \u201cYou are the light of the world\u201d. We are salt and light, not by virtue of our own goodness, cleverness, wisdom or strength, but by the grace of God.<\/p>\n
It is by this grace we have been saved, are being saved and will be saved. It is in this grace we live out Jesus\u2019 calling \u201cYou are the salt of the earth\u201d, \u201cYou are the light of the world\u201d.<\/p>\n