The Salt of the Earth

Two weeks ago, we heard Jesus call His disciples – come follow me, He said, and I will make you fishers of men … that call, my brothers and sisters, was for each of us too – Jesus wants to make each of us – His disciples – fishers of men … that is how God chooses to work in this world – though each of us – you and I are called to make this world a better place … and why is that, why isn’t the world a better place if God created it and all that He created was good … well that is what Jesus explained last week.

Last week we heard Jesus begin to teach His disciples – from His Sermon on the Mount, we heard the Beatitudes … where Jesus explained the realities of this world – about the poor, the exploited and the oppressed – ALL a result of human weakness – a result of our sinfulness – a result of our freedom to choose – to choose between right and wrong between light and dark – but it doesn’t have to be that way – we can overcome the darkness of this world we can make this world a better place – Jesus warned us last week though that those who seek to live righteous lives in this world will be persecuted – but He said also – that our reward would be great in heaven …

And this week my brothers and sisters, we hear more from the Sermon on the Mount – we hear what a true disciple of His is called to be – the very salt of the earth – a light shining in the darkness of this world … and why is that, because that is what it takes to make a difference in this world – it takes ordinary people like your and I leading extraordinary lives – leading exemplary lives –devoted to Christ – to break the chains of this world.

Our first reading – from the Prophet Isaiah, written hundreds of years before the birth of Christ – explains why you and I today are called today to be His disciples:

We know that thousands of years ago, God chose to have a “special” covenant relationship with the Israelites – the Jewish people. He would be “their” God and they would be “His” people. All nations would know that they, the Israelites where His people by how they conducted their affairs, how they conducted themselves – how they related to one another, and how they related to their neighbors and with strangers. You see the Israelites were called to be the very salt of the earth – to be lights shining in the darkness.

We know that God, over the centuries kept His promises to the Israelites but they often times chose to “wander” far from Him – they choose not to keep their promises to God. When the Israelites wondered away from Him – God would send His prophets to call them back – and when they were exiled from their homeland – He would deliver them back again from their exile.

This passage today from Isaiah (who was martyred) was written after God had delivered Israel to their homeland bringing an end to their Babylonian exile. And in return we hear that the Lord commanded them to: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then, He said, if you do these things, your light shall break forth like the dawn … and you shall call upon the Lord and the LORD will answer you.

Turns out though that the Israelites – even though they had this special relationship with God – were just like the rest of the nations – they were a “stiff-necked” people – who turned to God only when things were going bad for them and strayed far from Him when things were going good for them. Jesus, in the New Testament describes this one-sided relationship between God and the Israelites in the parable about the landowner – recall my brothers and sisters:

There was a landowner who had a vineyard, who leased it to tenants and went away; and who at harvest time sent his servants (who we know were the prophets) to these tenants (who we know were the Israelites) – and the tenants seized the landowner’s servants, one they beat, another they killed and a third they stoned. The landowner then sent other servants (more prophets) which were more numerous than the first ones – but they too were treated in the same way.

Finally, we are told, the landowner sent his son (who we know was Jesus) – He sent his son thinking that the tenants would respect his son. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another – this is the heir, come let us kill him and acquire his inheritance. And that is what they did – they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Jesus then asked those who He was speaking to “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants?” To which they replied “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.”

To which Jesus replied “Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you (Israelites) and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” – indicating that that the old covenant was passing away and that a new covenant was being made.

A new covenant my brothers and sisters that each of us are part of – God wants to have a special relationship with each of us. You might say wait a minute – I’m not qualified to be His disciple – I’m weak, I’m not smart at all … well, that is where our second reading from St. Paul comes in …

St. Paul was sent to evangelize the Greeks. The Greeks were very serious about philosophy – they were very educated – he wasn’t – he felt intimidated and not up to the challenge. But Paul realized, though the grace of God, that his preaching wasn’t based on logic or reasoning, but had the convincing power of the Holy Spirit. He reminded the Christians at Corinth that their faith rested not on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Philosophy is good, important and necessary, but the wisdom of philosophy is infinitely inferior to the power of God. This was Paul’s message to the new Christians at Corinth and his message to each of us today. Trust in God.

Hear what else St Paul had to say to the Corinthians: Not many of us are wise by human standards, not many of us are powerful or of “noble” birth … rather, God chose us, the foolish of the world to shame the wise, God choose the weak of the world to shame the strong, God choose the lowly and despised of the world – those who count for nothing – to reduce to nothing those who are something – so that no human being might boast before God.

Which brings us to today’s Gospel – the last line of today’s Gospel – your light – my brothers and sisters – must shine before others – that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

Give glory to God, my brothers and sisters – in all that you say and all that you do – in all that you accomplish – give glory to God.

Last week Jesus warned us that if we led righteous lives – like we are capable of doing, like we are called to do – then the world would not understand us – the world would fear us – and we would be persecuted.

This week Jesus calls us to be the very salt of the earth – to be that which exemplifies God’s creation – to be what God created us to be – a people holy and righteous – then we will be beacons, we will be lights – shining in the darkness of this world – showing the way and leading others to Christ.

But there is a warning for us also this week my brothers and sisters – Jesus tells us not to boast in our accomplishments – pride – that will be our downfall – because it is only through the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God that we accomplish anything, that we break the chains of this world.

We’ve been called – you and I – to make a difference in this world – for some that might mean touching the lives of millions of people, for others that might mean touching the lives of only a few people – it doesn’t make a difference how many or how few we have been called to serve – all that matters is that we serve them – that we share the gifts we have been given with them.

We’ve been called – you and I – to let Christ’s light shine though us – in the good times and in the bad – so that others might see that light of Christ in us and want also to be part of it.

The question that faces each of us today my brothers and sisters is simply this – how well do we let the light of Christ shine through us – how well do those around us know that Christ is the light of our life – how well does the way we interact with those around us reflect the light of Christ – how well do the choices we make, the language we use, the way we dress, the things we do with the time, talent and treasure that we have been given, reflect the light of Christ shining though us – so that others will know by associating with us that we belong to Christ – that He is our God and we are His people.

Do not be afraid to lead holy and righteous lives – do not be afraid if the world chooses to persecute you – do not be afraid that you haven’t got what it takes to make a difference in this world – you do – trust in God and Jesus promises that one day you will hear these words – well done my good and faithful servant – enter into the joy of your master’s house.

Amen!