SALT OF THE EARTH

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:13-16), Jesus calls His disciples to be the salt of the earth. It is a metaphor to describe the role and demands of Christian discipleship. Salt adds flavor to food. It also preserves, transforms and sustains life. There was no refrigeration during that time of Jesus. Hence salt was precious and expensive in that ancient biblical world. Moreover, salt is of great value once it is mixed, in the right proportions, in the food. It only produces its effect when it is totally merged with the food. It is indistinguishable from the rest of the food but its presence or absence is very obvious. That is also true with us, Christians. We can only be truly effective when we are engaged and involved in society. We are called to give an unmistakable taste to society. When we sit alone in the comfort of our homes, we are unable to make a difference to the people outside. When we rub elbows with others, both Christians and non-Christians, that we have the opportunity to bring a Christ-like flavor to their lives. We are not called to be spectators and insensitive to injustices and evils around us. God makes things right and we are the physical presence of Christ in our tormented world today. God’s love will ultimately prevail. It is to have that deep conviction that God is with us every step of the way. As salt of the earth, we are called to be always alert that we impart a Christ-like flavor to others rather than allowing them to impart a secular flavor to us. We have therefore the responsibility to transform the environment around us. A few grains of salt can make a big difference in food. Likewise, a few faithful Christians can make a big difference in the world. By our Gospel-centered lives, we are to give a distinctive taste to our society. Jesus also warns that if salt loses its taste, with what can it seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. He warns us not to be complacent. If salt loses its taste, it becomes worthless. The danger of the Church is to be tempted to give too much credence to the values generated by the world and too little to the values found in the Word of Jesus. The Church is tempted to be an event organizer instead of being a disciple maker. Our witnessing is authentic when our lives are changed and we change the lives of others. We are called to be grounded on God’s love and to be totally dependent on Him. That is the only way to be strong. To be salt of the earth is a task given to us by Jesus so that we continue His work, creating new heavens and new earth. It is not an easy task but we have the Holy Spirit, our aid in times of need. Jesus promised that He is with us until the end of time.