A colorful life makes the difference

Listening to the Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.

Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listening to the Word

Mt 5:13–16

Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Reflection

I saw a drawing. There was a building with many windows. The drawing was black and white but in some of the windows, you could glimpse some of the people and their environment that were colored.

Looking at it better in those windows with color, you could see a family surrounding a table having dinner together. In another one there was an old woman alone, with the rosary in her hand and in front of her a crucifix, enlighten by a candle. In another window, two friends were chatting and smiling. Where there is love, care, and concern life is colored and there is light.

I like to think that we are light not because we show the direction to others, one is the Master, the Light, our Lord Jesus, but we are disciples-light because, like the light, we caress, we touch people and we realize, we can reveal their beauties: their skills, goodness, generosity, simplicity and so on.

Where there is love, brotherhood, and care for one another, there, light is shining and showing what is beautiful among us. The salt works almost in the same way: it disappears, it is not seen but it gives taste to relationships, to our life, and the lives of the people that we live with. It is something making things beautiful.

Moreover, for us to be light and salt, FIRST we need to be attentive to the suggestions of the first reading: we are reminded that we have some negative characteristics in our hearts that we need to remove: “oppression, false accusation, and malicious speech.” Let us be aware of them to avoid becoming tasteless salt. SECOND let us recall the gospel of last week, about the beatitudes: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the meek, blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, blessed are the merciful, blessed are the clean of heart, blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.” Those are true lights in the darkness of violence, exploitation, abuse, and harassment.

When two people love each other and they are willing to offer their lives, they become light in the darkness and salt for the earth.

Reflection Questions

1. When I relate with people, am I able to be light in the sense of being able to bring out and value their skills?

2. Try to think how you can be the “light of the world and salt of the earth” living according to the model of the beatitudes in your family, at school, or at work.