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. . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . . Joshua 25:15b
Epiphany 5 Yr A
image photo of a salt mound (40′ high) from the island of Inagua in the Bahamas, 2018.
Published date 2/2/2023
Introduction
Introduction
Several years back, I was fortunate to visit the island of Inagua in the Bahamas. It boasts of excellent fishing (for you anglers), colorful birds, and interesting wildlife. Years before I arrived there, its life as a salt-producing island was begun. What a story! A very large part of the island is devoted to "pans" used to "cure" the salt. [Ed.'s note: My paraphrasing of what actually happens.] Ocean water is moved into pans and allowed to dry/cure, then moved along to the next pan for drying/curing in the next level of production. Along the way, shrimp are included to "clean up" by eating the parts that are not for human consumption. To rid the salt of the shrimp, flamingos are added—so they become pink "with shrimp". And the only "mechanized" part is harvesting the salt from the last (most dry/most cured) pan and allowing it to "cook" in the sun in large mounds as shown in photo above. Once the mound turns "white", the salt is ready and is shipped around the world for our use.
Consider for a moment—what does it mean to be the salt of the earth? the light of the world? Is there anything more vital to the life of the earth and its people than light and salt? And Jesus tells us that we are both! The shipping vessel for delivering the salt and the light IS US! We are obliged to lighten the world and take Jesus’ light into the world. And what does salt do? It tenderizes tough meat, when you’re cooking. Then it seems that, as salt, we bring tenderness and curing to a hurting world. Yes, we bring the love. So, I want to be the light. I want to be salt. In a wonderful hymn, we sing “I want to walk as a child of the light!” At the end of one arrangement of this song, everyone who has been singing shouts “SHINE!” Let’s all do that: SHINE!
All comments welcome.
Matthew 5:13-20
Matthew 5:13-20
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
sermons4kids: “When we believe in Jesus, it’s like we’re plugged into God’s power supply. We can also plug into God’s power supply by coming to church to learn about God and to worship Him. ”
Scripture: February 5, 2023—Isaiah 58:1-9a, [9b-12] (image); 1 Corinthians 2:1-12, [13-16] (image); Matthew 5:13-20 (image); and Psalm 112:1-9, (10) (image). A visual/audio journey.
Collect: Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Reflection: [on Corinthians] What does it mean to have the mind of Christ, and how do I live with the mind of Christ in my daily activities? If I let my light shine, what will others see in me? Will others see Jesus? Will they give glory to God?
Excerpted from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 1 © 2013 Westminster John Knox Press
Practice: Shine your light!
Memory verse: Matthew 5:16b: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Hymn Tidbit: "This little light of mine"—Folklorists John and Alan Lomax made the earliest known recording of "This Little Light of Mine." In June 1934, they recorded Jim Boyd of Jacksonville, Texas, singing it while serving time in the State Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. John and Ruby Lomax recorded Doris McMurray singing it in May 1939 from the Thomas Goree Unit prison in Huntsville. McMurray, an African American, reported that she learned the song from her grandmother in Waco.
Source: Ballad of America.
Ear Worm: “Salt and Light” by Amy Grant; “You are the light of the world” by Stephen Schwartz (from Godspell); “You are the light of the world” by Paul Tate.
Eye Candy: “Salt and light” icon (right);
“light of the world” image; “salt of the earth” image.
Brain Food: “Blessing of salt, blessing of light” by Jan Richardson (includes images); “You old salty sea dog” by Neil Chappell; “A word in time: Be salt and light” by Ann Howard
Parables: “Beasts of the southern wild” (2012), perseverence; “Conversations with God” (2006), homeless man becomes spiritual messenger; “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017), the hero gains little; the community gains; "Salt of the earth" (1954), about Latino miners; "It's a wonderful life" (1946), about George learning his value in the world; "Angela's Ashes" (1999), about how poor is not a sin
Some eye-candy:
“Planting†by Rex Goreleigh
“Salt of the earth†by Sarah Raskey
“Light of the World“, stained glass in St. Mary’s, Melton Mowbry, Great Britain
Brain food:
commentary “Light for the world†from The Walking Dreamer website
Prayer by Jim Cotter
Give to each of us a candle of the Spirit, O God,
as we go down into the deeps of our being.
Show us the hidden things, the creatures of our dreams,
the storehouse of forgotten memories and hurts.
Take us down to the spring of life,
and tell each one of us our nature and our name.
Give us freedom to grow in order that we each may become that self,
the seed of which you planted in us at our making.
Out of the deeps we cry to you, O God.Poem “Jesus is the Light†by Benjamin Chavis, Jr.
Jesus is the light
of the struggle
of the oppressed
Jesus is the light
for all those
who seek justice
Jesus is the light
for all those
who love mercy
Jesus is the light
for all those
who will let
their own light shine.
Listening pleasure
Listening pleasure
“This little light of mine†by really cute kids
“You are the light of the world†from Godspell (new cast)
“Salt and light†by Amy Grant
For families: Study guide and activities (former guide), group activity; kid video
For children: See family guide/activities above (other activity), bulletin; craft
For middlers: See family guide/activities above (other activity); bulletin; craft
Coloring: Let your light shine; Matthew
For youth: For this week, consider how you might be the salt or the light. What specifically might you do that will make life easier for someone in distress? What specifically might you do to lighten the burden of another? What specifically might you do that brightens the world around you and others. Excerpted from Lesson Plans that Work.
If you wish, share your thoughts.
Today and for the next several Sundays, we hear portions of Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount. This continues the theme of Epiphany, the showing forth of Jesus as the Son of God. Note also that the way of living which he teaches enables those who follow his teaching to themselves be “epiphanies” of God’s presence in the world.
Isaiah warns us that living rightly does not depend on carrying out religious devotions such as fasting. He is speaking in a time when the people were careful to fast but ignored God’s call to live at peace with each other and to care for the poor and helpless. Religious devotions that are merely outward show do not enable us to be right with God.
In seeking to speak to the divisions in the Corinthian church, Paul takes on those who are proud of having special and private knowledge about God, believing their “wisdom” sets them apart from other church members. However, Paul announces that God’s wisdom is far greater than human wisdom and that God’s wisdom is “Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”
Jesus’ Epiphany is fulfilled in our own time in Word and Sacraments and in the lives of those who through baptism have been made part of his body the church. In the liturgy, our part in making Jesus known to all people is initiated in the Eucharistic feast and fulfilled as we are sent into the world in his name to care for the helpless and to be instruments of God’s peace and reconciliation.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2009 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.
Again, we hear a portion of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew’s gospel presents Jesus as the fulfillment of Moses. In today’s reading, Jesus speaks of various requirements of the Law. Those who live in his Way will follow the Law inwardly, not simply outwardly. Jesus’ own relationship to God as God’s Child is revealed in his teaching our relationship as children of God given to us in baptism grows through the way of living he taught. The first reading from Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) is perhaps the clearest statement on human freedom of choice in the Hebrew Scriptures. This passage alone would seem to suggest that everyone can do that which is right unhindered by sin. This passage needs the corrective supplied by today’s gospel reading that makes it clear that we are still dependent upon God’s gracious assistance if we are to carry out the inward obedience that Jesus commands. In the second reading, Paul continues to seek to deal with division in the Corinthian church between cliques loyal to him and those loyal to Apollos. His approach is to suggest that each member of the body is essential and it is God alone who is building up the church through the varied ministries we are given. The liturgy is this truth about our life in the church, as each of us has a role to play and all of our individual liturgical actions and words combine to make the work of the people of God.
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