Walk through Langley on a sunny day and you will pass many visitors. There is little that separates us from them, but as a third century French writer observed, “Christians are not distinguished from others by country, language or clothes. They follow local customs in matters of behavior; they discharge all their civic duties. They obey established laws, and their manner of living is more perfect than the laws. Christians are to the world what the soul is to the body.”
No wonder then Jesus said to his listeners, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” In two short phrases, he describes our identity and our mission as his followers. Nowadays, he might have sent his message out on Twitter. “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
But why did Jesus use salt to describe his followers? By itself salt is useless. I can’t imagine anyone swallowing a spoonful of salt. Ugh! When we use salt while cooking, we do so sparingly, knowing that the right amount enhances the dish while too much salt ruins its taste. How tempted we are to add just a little dab of salt if the dish is too bland. Yes, I cannot imagine a diet without salt, anymore than I can imagine a life without faith.
So what does salt have to do with us? Like salt on the stove, waiting to be tossed into the soup, we are to be stirred into the pot of human affairs. As long as we watch the world go by, we accomplish nothing. Like the salt that disappears into the stew, Jesus wants us to quietly make a difference in the lives of those around us sharing our faith by what we do.
When he became pope in October 1978, St. John Paul II exclaimed to the world, “Be not afraid!” Throughout his papacy, he pursued a vision of a morally strong Church, repeatedly calling on us to make a difference in the world around us.
Never underestimate what a difference sharing your faith can make. I read about a teenage girl named Anne who worked as a maid in a big hotel. Her job was to clean ten rooms every day. In the course of the summer, she met all kinds of interesting people. The one she remembered most was a man she called Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith arrived one weekend with only a small traveling bag. When Anne showed up to clean his room, he stuck his head out the door and said, “Forget about cleaning my room. Just give me a couple of clean towels.”
The next two days, he did the same thing. Not until midweek did he allow Anne to enter and clean his room. As she did, he talked to her and even helped her make the bed. The following Saturday, after she got off work, Anne began walking to church to attend the evening Mass.
A car pulled up; it was Mr. Smith. Did she want a ride home? She said she was going to church, but would appreciate a ride there. Once Anne was in the car, Mr. Smith asked her many questions. How often did she go to church? Why did she go when so many teenagers didn’t? How good were the sermons? Did she go to communion?
When they arrived at the church, Mr. Smith surprised Anne by asking if he could attend Mass with her. She felt strange about his questions and interest in the Mass. She felt even stranger when he knelt during the entire Mass. When Mass ended, Mr. Smith did something even stranger; he hurried outside without even saying good-bye to Anne.
The next day, when Anne went to clean his room, the little bag was gone. In its place was a small package with a note, “Dear Anne, the gift inside this box is for the beautiful thing you did for me, without even knowing it. My marriage has been rather shaky lately; so much so, that I finally told my wife that I was moving out for a few days to think things over. The more I thought, the more confused I got.
“Then you came along. Your beautiful faith in God touched me deeply. When I attended Mass with you, it was for the first time in ten years. During the Mass God gave me an insight into my problem and the desire to stay with my wife. I’m going home grateful to God and grateful to you for being a shining light in a time when my world was very dark. I will never forget you for helping me to rediscover my faith.” In the box was a gold chain with a beautiful gold cross.
Today’s readings are a wake-up call for us. The Christian life isn’t to be lived in isolation or without regard to others. Our faith isn’t just a personal matter. If we do not flavor the world with Christ, we are like salt that has lost its flavor. To be salt in the spirit of Christ is to bring forth the flavor of God in everyone and everything. To be light that reflects Christ is to illuminate the presence of God for others to see.
Anne was not afraid to live her faith and be a light to others. By being the salt of the earth, she made a difference in Mr. Smith’s bland faith. Just as a little dab of salt can go a long way in flavoring and preserving food, what you say and do could make all the difference for someone who has yet to find God or is struggling to preserve what little faith she or he has in God.
We could easily blend into any crowd, but if we are the salt of the earth, how well are we flavoring the world around us?