Matthew 5:13-16
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
St. John teaches us that God so LOVES the world that He gave His Son's life for us...He could have condemned us for our sins, but instead God's LOVE is so GREAT that He sent His to die for us, to save us from our sins...God sent His Son to be our Savior from our sinning...So by not condemning us, God knows we are far from perfect...God knows we may try hard to seek and find Him, and also knows we may not try that hard to seek Him...God knows that we do not always play by His rules and act in a morally good way...God knows there are times when we are wicked...But God knows and LOVES us for who we are...
Jesus says these things about mankind in His Sermon on the Mount...We are the salt of the earth...But when salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?...It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot...We are the light of this world...A town built on a hill cannot be hidden...Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl...Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house...In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven...
Gregory Joseph Boyle, is an American Catholic priest of the Jesuit order...He is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang intervention and rehabilitation program“...He explains about the Light of the World and a way to look at these verses: Jesus says, “You are the light of the world.”...I like even more what Jesus doesn’t say...He does not say, “One day, if you are more perfect and try really hard, you’ll be light.”...He doesn’t say “If you play by the rules, cross your T’s and dot your I’s, then maybe you’ll become light.”...No...He says, straight out, “You are light.”...It is the truth of who you are, waiting only for you to discover it...So, for God’s sake, don’t move...No need to contort yourself to be anything other than who you are.”...