Sunday Reflections

Some of you will remember the hymn They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love. I think of it often, especially when I see so-called Christian countries exemplifying the opposite behaviour. The imagery of today’s gospel is powerful in its metaphors. Salt adds zest and brightness to our food, that indefinable quality that is only apparent by its absence. And the image of hiding a lamp under a bushel resonates with us even today. We have all been in search of that light that guides us in the darkness.

But it’s hard to be Salt and Light in this world. Yes, we have many opportunities to do good works. The calls to justice are all around us: the unhoused, refugees, the unjustly imprisoned, the exploitation of people and the environment, the list goes on and on.

The problem is that these issues are complicated and overwhelming. Injustice and greed are imbedded in our laws, our institutions, our culture, and, if we are honest, in our own lifestyle. How many of us have to buy the latest technology even though the device contains rare minerals mined through the exploitation of the Congo? Problems like homelessness, drug addiction and poverty are complicated to fix and not just a matter of throwing more money at the issue. How can we make a difference? Where do we start?

The second reading today gives us a hint as to how to proceed. “My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.”

Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and allow it to change our own hearts and the ways in which we live our lives. Justice requires right relations with God, with our neighbour and with all of creation. We are all called to this work, in big or little ways. We never know who will be watching, seeing the light we shine, tasting the salt that flavours our relationships with the earth and those around us.