Salt and Light

It was not yet dawn.  I had three candles lit.  Sitting at the picture window in my prayer room I looked across the hundreds of yards that separate me from the house that is closest to mine.  I saw a small glow coming from that other place...it could have been a candle, or perhaps a small night light.  It wasn't large enough to illuminate its surroundings.  Yet its beams made it clear that "something" was there. I appreciated its presence, and stayed with its simple beauty for quite some time.

Its specific purpose could have been safety for an elderly person, or comfort for a small child.  Or, perhaps it was a sign of another child of God who, like me, was praying at the beginning of another day.  It probably had no idea that it was affecting me, yet its connection to me was profound (at least from my perspective).

This week the gospel generates sparks that surround us with wisdom about our purpose--the source and the sustainer of our ultimate meaning in life.

We are to be salt for the earth.   Salt....essential to preservation and serving to enhance the best flavor of all it encounters.  So, we are called to function as grains of salt, preserving all of creation and bringing out the best in others.




We are to be light for the world.

Stimulated by God's love for us, we can walk around shimmering with gestures, words, and acts of service that break through the darkness of human suffering of all sorts.  We are not to restrain our power or be overly concerned with choosing where, or when or whom our presence will benefit.  We are simply to be "there" to guide others to God's Way.  We don't rely upon or transmit our own power...we allow ourselves to be transparent and let others see God's Love within us...a love that radiates beyond our lives for their sake, not ours.

Go ahead...  start spilling over!