Readings for Sunday February 6, 2011

Sunday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Summary of the Gospel

Why are so many Catholics embarrassed about sharing their faith with others? The call to share our faith with others is at the heart of Jesus’ message in our Gospel reading, and for us as Catholics, we have a lot of room for improvement in this area. In this passage, Jesus continues His ‘Sermon on the Mount’ by giving us two pictures that describe the essence of discipleship. The first image is that we, as disciples, are the salt of the earth. Salt’s value rests entirely in the fact that it enhances the flavor that is already present in food. If salt looses its taste, it is then worthless. (Imagine going to a nice restaurant that gave you bad salt. It just wouldn’t happen.) True disciples of Jesus give salt to the earth: By bringing Christ to the world, the world is able to understand its true meaning and its true purpose. Everything in the world finds its clear perspective when it is in relation to Christ. Disciples are also like light to the world, helping those to see clearly around the light, to know what is really there, and to be able to live and function. A person with light – especially in Jesus’ days without electricity – would never hide their light, but would use it so they could function. Without the light of Christ in the world, the world cannot properly function. The entire reason that God made the world was to be a saint-making machine, to help each one of us grow in our love for Him and achieve eternal life with Him. The disciples of Jesus are the ones given the mission of bringing Christ to the world. The Lord tells us in this Gospel passage that the best way to shine our individual lights is to be people of good deeds. While words may be important, we all know that actions speak louder than words. In a world that is often characterized by an overabundance of words and images, people are not looking for someone to tell them God loves them, rather they are looking to be shown that God loves them. This is where the Catholic Church comes into play. God’s purpose in establishing the Church was to make disciples of all nations, inviting every person from every time and every place into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Every one of us, by virtue of our Baptism in Christ, has been called to take up this mission, make it our very own, and do whatever Christ asks of us. The problem is most Catholics don’t take their Baptismal call seriously. They go through the motions, never reflecting on the grand calling Christ has given them. Our challenge is to never take our call from Christ for granted. Make it a point this week to examine your life and your actions, and commit yourself to be a light to everyone you meet, no matter how difficult the situation may appear.


Reading 1 Isaiah 58:7-10

7 Thus says the LORD: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. 8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; 10 if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.

Reading 2 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

1 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, 4 and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of Spirit and power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Gospel Matthew 5:13-16

13 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. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. 15 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.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Since salt loses its flavor over time, what can you do to continue to keep up your ‘flavor’ as the salt of the earth? What in your life robs you of the ‘flavor’ of you being the salt of the earth?

2. Who has been a light of Christ to you in your life? Why and how? How has your life been affected by that person?

3. Jesus tells us, in the last line of the Gospel, that the purpose of discipleship is to glorify our heavenly Father. Describe concrete ways that you, in your daily life, can glorify the Father. (How can you make glorifying God a daily experience?)