Salt and Light

In this New Year, I am making a "resolution" through God's grace to be a Christian in the fullest sense of the word.  Most of us have heard the question, "If Christianity were outlawed in our nation, and you were charged with the crime of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"  My resolution in the New Year is to be "guilty as charged!"

At our children's youth group Christmas party this past weekend, on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, we shared in a Polish custom of giving a wish for the New Year while sharing pieces of Oplatek (Christmas wafer).  When I approached one of my friends and shared the Oplatekk, I prayed for her to continue being "salt and light" and told her that when I see her interacting with others, I see "Christ's light" here in the world.  The Holy Spirit clearly moved me to make this prayer for her. Our eyes filled with tears as we gave each other a big hug.

As I reflect on the Oplatek experience, which was very new for me, the words "salt and light" keep coming to mind.  In Matthew 5:13-15, just after our Lord proclaims the Beatitudes in His Sermon on the Mount, he continues:

"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (RSV)

Jesus does not say to boast and proclaim our holiness.  He instructs us to be light through our works to the glory of our Heavenly Father.  

In the movie Pay It Forward (2000) we see a glimpse of what a world could be like if every time someone did something good for us, we committed to do three kind acts for others--not to pay back the person, but to continue the good and spread it everywhere.  The movie, if you haven't seen it, has some hard scenes, including the death of a main character. Evil still exists. But in the tragedy, hope remains because of the movement to "Pay It Forward" that began as school project.

Thirteen years after the movie, and 2000+ years after the Birth of Christ, our world is still broken and evil still exists. The best way we can combat evil, which loves the darkness, is to be light.

How can we be light? Simple kindness and charity (true love) are the best place to begin.  Likewise, reflect Christ's light when others don't see it in themselves.  In our world of instant information, we risk losing the ability to look into another's eyes and recognize Christ in our brothers and sisters.  Make eye contact with those around you.  Listen to their voices.  Notice their pain, their joy, their needs.

In 2013, will you join me to be "Salt and Light," to pay forward the graces and gifts our Lord has granted us three-fold each day, in honor of the Most Holy Trinity?