February 5, 2017

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time A Isaiah 58: 7-10; 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5; Matthew 5: 13-16 Growing up, one of the things that my father emphasized was that I was to be ‘my own person’. Each person is different. Each person has a uniqueness that differentiates them from others. We are not robots, we are not programmed to be robots. This is how God created and creates. In school, I saw people who were better than I was in the different subjects, activities and sports. But I also saw people who came to me for help. What did they see in me that they liked? What did they see in me that made them comfortable enough to come and ask for assistance? These constitute some of the many gifts that the Holy Spirit showers on each of God’s creation. Do we take these and build on them? Do we share these with those who are hurting in some way? Do we just build ourselves up and use them for self and our own advancement and development? Do I hoard or develop? Am I selfish or am I giving? Do I care about others or do I care about myself? Am I a follower of Christ or do I care only about myself? The readings advance the theme of loyal service to God. They clarify what such service looks like. Isaiah is sharing that mere external worship does not mean anything to God if it is not joined with internal sincerity. Fasting is not genuine without reforming one’s way of life. Am I doing things for show or am I truly sincere? Isaiah echoes the Judgment of the Nations found in Matthew 25: 31-46 where Jesus is telling how God judges each person on their deeds of mercy done for their least brothers and sisters. If I am serving according to God’s way, I must reach out to the less fortunate. This means the hungry, the homeless and the naked. But do I ‘reach out’ to show how good I am for others to see, or do I reach out with love because I am loved by God? Isaiah concludes with the addition of evils that must be removed from society: oppression, false accusation and malicious speech. These have no place when I’m serving those in need. The Psalm response is taken from Psalm 112 which elaborates on the blessings received by those who remain close to God. It says, “The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.” It continues: “…they are gracious, merciful, and just.” If I am, I will realize God’s closeness and how He answers me when I call out for help. Do I let my light shine? Paul shares that when he came to the community at Corinth, “I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling…” He totally submitted to the Spirit of God within. He did not attempt to impress them with mere human words or argumentation. It was all about God. God who cares, God who loves, God who leads us each day to be His people if we allow His gifts to work within us. Last week, the Gospel began with the Beatitudes, the opening of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. For these next four weeks, until the beginning of Lent, we will be focusing on the subsequent passages from this sermon. Today Jesus describes the mission of His followers by using the metaphors of salt and light. The disciples have to be engaged with the world, not a non-committed observer. As Sunday Homily Helps says: “The time for hiding, quiet caution, and fear is over Now is the time to be bold, to shine bright, and to let everyone know what the disciples stand for.” The salt metaphor is interesting. Chemists say that technically salt cannot lose its taste or flavor, but it can become contaminated. Like the salt found around the Dead Sea which is considered useless. Or salt that is used to line cooking ovens which lose their effectiveness after a while from the smoke and grease. But good salt adds a special flavor and preserves. Do people feel my love and care after they leave my presence? Do they see my life or specific gifts as being examples for their faith in God? I am called to be a light to the world, God’s light. What am I to say, what am I to do? Look at the Gospels, Jesus’ words; He says it all. My job description is living the life of Jesus. I readily admit that just about all of the people who decided to come into the Church, came because of how certain lay people touched them. ‘I was met at the door and the greeters welcomed me and introduced themselves. When I left they thanked me for coming. The next week they remembered my name and thanked me for coming…My daughter was in a wheel chair and there was no handicap ramp. Two men from the church came out and lifted up the wheel chair and when we left they came right over and lifted my daughter and the chair back down. They seemed very honored to be doing that, they showed a love I just have not encountered before. I joined that parish…A Little League umpire was always kind to my children and gave words of encouragement even when they made errors or struck out. They like him. I liked him. I watched him for a few years and I wondered where he got the ‘message of life’ that was so evident on and off the field. He was a Catholic, and went to this particular church so I went to that Church. And I became a Catholic. Who would ever suspect that an umpire would bring me to be a Catholic.’ Being a light doesn’t mean preaching and proselytizing. It means reaching out and touching the lives of those around us through our actions. It is Jesus’ words that each and everyone is loved by God, but those words have to be seen. We take Jesus and put the crucifix up on the wall or hang pictures of the Sacred Heart or of Mary. But we are all called not just to look and reflect on these holy images but to realize that we are now partners in God’s plan for the world. As I look at my life I realize that the reason I am here in this place and this time…the reason that I am sharing these thoughts and insights weekly is that God wants me to. I have no idea who I touch, God knows. I have no idea how this leads people to know God’s love, God knows. But I do know that if I just write, people are not seeing how I am living. I have to walk the walk. People must see in me that God is present and that I love God. I do this only and completely with the Holy Spirit’s grace. I am grateful. I reflect on: • I look at the people whose lives have inspirited me. When I ask the Spirit to help me, I am amazed how a person from way back touched me. • In what ways do I bring God’s light to my world? • What gifts am I afraid to share or which ones am I hiding? Why am I not asking God for help? • There is an old saying that people who are called to be the greatest constitute the worst tragedy if they fail. Do they fail because they rely only on themselves and not God’s graces? • Paul was not a good speaker at all and he could have easily said, ‘I’m too small to speak of in grandiose terms of being the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and a city on a mountain.’ But he did…he totally opened himself to the Spirit’s graces. Sacred Space 2017 states: The two metaphors of salt and light can apply to the individual believer and to the church as a whole. The saltiness points to the need for passion and dynamism at the heart of faith. The brightness of light points to the witness quality of the believer’s life. Others are meant to sense the faith that motivates our good words and to be led to praise God. Faith is personal but not private. Is this true for me? People do not usually praise a meal for its saltiness, but many will miss salt if it is absent. How do I contribute something vital to the world—something that does not draw attention to me but what is needed?”