SALT HAS LOST ITS TASTE…

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we preached among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No; but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God. 21 But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; 22 he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Matthew 5:13-16

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.
15 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.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  

MEDITATION

St PAUL’S EPISTLE to the Corinth community seeks to allay any thoughts that he has abandoned the flock because he did not visit the community as promised. Paul wish to affirm that his ambivalence should not lead anyone to doubt the promises and faithfulness of Christ. 

Catec 1062 In Hebrew, amen comes from the same root as the word “believe.” This root expresses solidity, trustworthiness, faithfulness. And so we can understand why “Amen” may express both God’s faithfulness towards us and our trust in him.
1065 Jesus Christ himself is the “Amen.”He is the definitive “Amen” of the Father’s love for us. He takes up and completes our “Amen” to the Father: “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God”:

Finally Paul asserts that God has commissioned and established the Apostlolic office bearers who are the ecclesiastical bridge between God and His people.

THE GOSPEL READING: Our Lord use salt, a flavorant, as a metaphor to discribe how the Apostles must embody their charisms  as teachers and ministers to permeate in the lives of the flock as a source of hope, inspiration and trust in the message and promises of Christ Jesus. Our Lord makes the inference that if the shepherds are out of touch with the needs and struggles of the community they serve, they are effectively useless and good for nothing! Similarly the shepherds are called to be beacons of hope that shine a light where darkness and hopelessness is the prevailing condition. 

The response of the leaders of the Church throughout pandemic crisis arround the world was for all tends and purposes mute to the extent that civil authorities were allowed to ride roughshod over the people. Heroic bishops and pastors are few and far between and in a number of cases they have been silenced! It is in times like these that our trust,hope and faith in God is tested and or demonstrated. Each one of us are called to be a light in our home and by extension in our community and country. Let us not lose our taste for truth and be the flavor of the political elite at the expense of the people of God. 

LET US PRAY: Psalms 119:129-133,135

129 Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
131 With open mouth I pant, because I long for thy commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is thy wont toward those who love thy name.
133 Keep steady my steps according to thy promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
135 Make thy face shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.

Author. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.