Feb. 9, 2020: 5th Sunday A - Salt and Light
I recently spoke to someone who came back from a retreat. He was brimming with excitement about rediscovering zeal for his faith. What changed, I asked, before and after the retreat? During the retreat he realized that up to now he was living for himself, doing good things for his reputation and his own glory. Now he wants to live for Christ and this brought so much joy and excitement back into his spiritual life. The person rediscovered the zest and purpose of his life—to love and serve God. The person’s powerful retreat experience stands in contrast to how the most of the Catholics in the pew feel.
A recent Pew Research showed that only one third of the Catholics in the United States believe that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. The other two thirds believe that the Eucharist and the Precious Blood “are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.” There is a huge disconnect between what the Church teaches and what the faithful believe. If the Eucharist is not the “source and summit of Christian life,” that is, a real encounter with Jesus who suffered in flesh and gave up his life, I wonder for what reason people come to church on Saturdays or Sundays. Perhaps they come for a sense of belonging and fellowship. To come to church for that reason in itself isn’t bad. Yet, which event do you choose to attend—a LSU Football tailgate and game (spending about seven hours total) or one hour with Christ.
We do not want a phony religion where religious leaders spew platitudes on one day of the week and yet live a very different life the rest of the week. And we certainly do not want to pretend that spending one hour on Sunday suffices as living out our Christian life. What do we do Monday through Friday? Do we stand and witness Christ in our workplace and at home? Do we realize who we are, disciples of Christ who promised to pick up our cross daily and follow Jesus? Whether it is Joe Burrow refocusing the spotlight on the Heisman Award night on the poor children who go hungry in his hometown, or an eight year old who sells keychains to pay off the lunch debt of his classmates, we desire to witness how ordinary men and women are changed by the Living God. The world is crying out for help, and yet, do we simply go home from work, close the garage door, sit in our lounge chair, and observe the world in chaos through the 55” screen, expecting someone else to solve the problem?
The only way of serving God is to emulate the life and teaching of Christ—that is, to radiate the love of Christ to others. Our Lord said to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world... your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” How do we become the salt of the earth and let our light shine before others? God spoke to Prophet Isaiah, “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... remove from your midst oppression, false accusation, and malicious speech... then your light shall break forth like the dawn.” Mother Teresa understood and lived the words of Isaiah and the words of Matthew chapter 25 and became salt and light for the world. She wrote, “Jesus is the Hungry - to be fed. Jesus is the Thirsty - to be satiated. Jesus is the Naked - to be clothed. Jesus is the Homeless - to be taken in. Jesus is the Sick - to be healed. Jesus is the Lonely - to be loved.” There is a difference between social work and work for Christ. A social worker does the work for something; a Christian serves Christ who is disguised as poor.
The greater challenge is how to recognize Christ in others. The person who returned from the retreat gained an insight while spending time in prayer. All his life, he dutifully went to church and read prayers to his children. Yet, he did not have a true encounter with Christ. On that retreat, Jesus revealed himself to him not as an abstraction but as a friend and Savior who loved him. Listen to these words from Mother Teresa and ask yourself if you truly encounter the Risen Christ when you go to church or to pray:
“I worry some of you still have not really met Jesus—one to one—you and Jesus alone. We may spend time in chapel—but have you seen with the eyes of your soul how he looks at you with love? Do you really know the living Jesus—not from books but from being with him in your heart? Have you heard the loving words he speaks to you?... Never give up this daily intimate contact with Jesus as the real living person—not just the idea.”
When I look around our church community, so many good opportunities are provided for our growth. Men and women’s bible studies, marriage enrichment events, social responsibility ministries abound in our parish for our personal growth. Spiritual opportunities in the near future will be the nine week novena of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Lenten disciplines, the parish mission with Fr. Whitney Miller, and the Way of the Cross every week. Let us continue to take advantage of many programs at St. George to help us to be the salt and the light for Christ. If each of us does our part to become the salt and light, then together we can change our community. May we take up our discipleship daily by doing small things with great love.
