We are the Salt of the Earth

Brothers and Sisters, our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that, we are the salt of the earth. But if the 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(Mt.5:13-16)

What is salt?

Salt is a dietary mineral we use for flavoring and preservation. Salt has to be used with moderation too much of salt in food is detrimental to our health. It is also harmful not to have salt intake because it regulates the water content in our bodies. A moderate amount of salt brings balance into our bodies.

A Christian makes life tasteful

As Christians, we called to make human life on earth tasteful. How can we make life full of taste to be enjoyed by all? First we are called to live a meaningful life. A life without meaning is a tasteless life. Loss of meaning in life is what makes most people feel desperate and loose even the desire to live. People commit evils to others and themselves simply because they don’t see the point of living or why they should abide with moral norms of the society.

Christ gives meaning to our lives

Our mission as disciples of Christ is to show to the world that Christ gives meaning to our human existence. How does Jesus give meaning to human life?

First Jesus is the way the truth and the life itself(John 14:6)Jesus is the way because he shows us that our life comes from God, sustained by God and moved toward its final destiny which is total communion with God. Jesus shows us that our life has a purpose and therefore life is worth living. We are not on earth by accident. God created us and has a plan for us. Christ came to reveal that plan of God for us.

Second, human suffering is one of the factors that make many loose meanings in life. Most people when they experience suffering, they pose a fundamental question “ what is the point of living if I have to suffer? What is the meaning of human suffering? Through his own suffering, death and resurrection, Jesus Christ gives meaning to all human suffering. Christ by his own suffering teaches us that Suffering is part and parcel of human existence, and we do not suffer alone. Christ always suffers with those who suffer. And suffering and even death will not have a final say, because through Christ death has been conquered. God has defeated death by the resurrection of his only begotten Son.

Tasteless Life

Christ is the one who adds taste into our life. A life without Christ is the same as salt without taste. It’s a useless life. A life without Christ is tasteless because we become so centered on our own issues and forget others especially those who are in need of our care. Jesus moves us out of our own world to the world of others and cares for them. When we care for others and especially the poor, the sick and the marginalized, we are adding taste not only to their lives but ours as well.

When we serve others we give meaning to the life of those we serve and at the same time we give meaning to our own life.

Preserve and Destroy

Salt is also a preservative. It preserves food by destroying harmful germs. As Christians our mission is to strive to preserve what is good and fight against what is evil. The good we are to preserve are the values of the Gospel and the evil that we are to fight against are the values contrary to the Gospel values.

Let us strive to add tastes to our lives and to others by centering our lives on Jesus Christ.

Fr. Barthlomew Mrosso M. Afr
Pastor

Sisters and brothers today we celebrate the presentation of our Lord to the Temple. The temple is a place where people meet and worship God. The temple is a sacred place because God has chosen to dwell in it. And therefore
when people want to express their communion with God through prayers and sacrifices they go to the temple. In
short the temple is the house of prayers and Sacrifices.

Sacrifices to God

When we offer sacrifices to God in terms of material things, we are merely expressing our gratitude to God for what God has provided us. Through our sacrifices we telling God that all what we have belongs to you, and our lives do not depend on the material things we possess. God is the source of our life. God is the one who sustains our life and at the end of our human existence on earth, our life will return to God.

Our sacrifice to God is not only limited to material things, but offering of our own selves is the highest level of expressing our total dependence on God. When we offer our whole life to God, it implies that we consecrate our life to God who sanctifies us.

Presentation of Jesus

The parents of our Lord presents the Child Jesus to the temple as a way of fulfilling the Jewish laws that demands every first born child to be consecrated to God;

“ The Lord said to Moses, “Dedicate all the first born males to me, for every first born male Israelite and every first born male male animal belongs to me” ( Ex. 13:1-2)

By presenting the child Jesus to the temple, the parents of Jesus are acknowledging that the child belongs to God. God is the true father of this Child. The child is not their personal property. The parents have just collaborated with God in bringing this child to the earth. But the Child belongs to God. God is the real owner of this child. The parents are stewards of God’s Child. As parents, they are to fulfill their parental responsibilities of bringing up this child. Once this child grows up, he will depart from them, and commit himself to the mission of God. At the early age of seven Jesus reminded his parents that he belongs to God and not to them(Lk 2:49-51).

Sisters and brothers this feast of the presentation of the Lord to the temple reminds us that we all belong to God. Life is a gift from God and it can only be possessed by God. This feast also teaches us that Christ has been offered to God for the salvation of all people.

Fr. Barthlomew MROSSO M.afr
Pastor