When we read today’s Gospel reading we get a little snapshot of Jesus’ teaching. It’s a tiny reading, just as four verses long. If we look at the words we have heard today alone we get some meaning, but it is by other means the whole picture. Fortunately we have every opportunity to look a bit wider. We have four Gospels telling us of the life of Jesus, as well as nearly two thousand years of church teaching and tradition to call upon. Today’s Gospel reading comes from St. Matthew’s Gospel and it is part of the section of Jesus’ preaching that we call the Sermon on the Mount. Today Jesus tells His listeners what to do with the Good News they have heard about in His sermon so far. He is challenging everyone who has heard or read the Gospel to take it into their lives.
We are used to describing good, down-to-earth people as “the salt of the earthâ€, and this phrase comes from today’s Gospel reading. Salt was a very important commodity in Jesus’ time. It was so important that Roman soldiers were sometimes given salt as part of their wages. So Jesus also warns His listeners about what will happen if they listen to His words but do not follow them. We can be like a light shining up high or a city on a hilltop. We can be examples for others to follow just as Jesus is an example for us. There is a temptation to be apologetic about our faith, but Jesus encourages us not to hide it away. By allowing God’s light to shine in our lives we can be a beacon for others. Isn’t that something to aspire to?