May the Lord give you grace and peace in the Holy Spirit. It is on 05th February 2023. We celebrate the 5th Sunday of ordinary time. We reflect on Isaiah 58:7-10 / 1 Cor 2:1-5 / Matthew 5:13-16
A wealthy man wanted to offer 100 bananas to the nearest parish. So he told one of his servants to give it to the parish priest during the day. Since the worker was tired and weak in the middle of the day as he was carrying the bananas on his head, he felt hungry and took three bananas and ate to satisfy his hunger. During the night, the wealthy man dreamt of God thanking him for giving God three bananas. But he told God that he sent 100. So, he called the worker and asked what had happened and then realized what the worker ate was the number God accounted for. God takes things seriously and rewards us when we share with the poor.
Can we shine and be the salt in relating with others? Are we shining or shying? Are we the salt or shaming others?
More than all rituals, fasting and even prayer, our evangelization is wrapped in love in action that pleases God and forces God to show us blessings.
Every endeavour we make in shining the light of Christ through our tiny efforts of stretching our hands and hearts towards the poor pleases God to have it all to the full. “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.”
Charity is the salt and merciful acts are the shining light of Christ in Christianity and every Christian. How is your relationship with God?
As we are about to enter the Lent in a couple of days, we are invited to turn our hearts inwardly and move outwardly to be swift to serve.
Can we relate with God with our rigorous self-centered fasting and penance?
Fasting is self-centered act or self-discipline act. God asks something specific in terms of relationships by stop blaming or speaking evil of others.
The light within need to come out through loving, and merciful acts towards the poor and the least of our brethren.
The prophet Isaiah underlines the right relationship with God comes by sharing our bread with the hungry, bringing the homeless and the poor into our houses, covering the naked and being at the beck and call of the neighbour.
St. Paul shares his conviction that it was when he felt weak and dependent on Jesus, he could shine and declare God’s message. He learned in the hard way. It was indeed a failure when he went relying on his own wisdom, skill and knowledge of philosophy preaching about the unknown God in Athens at Areopagus and getting a few disciples. But in when he reached Corinth, he kept aside his knowledge and philosophy but preaches the crucified Saviour, Jesus.
We too are called to be the salt and light to the world. Salt needs to be mixed in the right proportion. We need to get involved in the life of others. We too become saltless when we are willing to mix with other people. “The good person is a light in the darkness for the upright.” (Ps.112:4).
Our holiness is a matter of heart and practice not just of the head and theories.
Our presence needs to be light in the darkness. God is the light in each one of us. We are the lanterns even in the absence of the Sun. It is not that easy to be the salt and light in a polarized world. But we can continue the mission of Christ with His grace and blessing. God bless you.