Being Who We Are Meant To Be
Being Who We Are Meant To Be
Tuesday Gospel Reflection: Matthew 5:13-16
I love Jesus’ use of metaphors. Salt. A city. A lamp. I sense from these proverbs a figurative map to the spiritual life. I’m left wondering at the simplicity of Jesus’ words and the power of the Holy Spirit in reflection. As I share what struck me, I’m curious what sits with you and what the Spirit reveals to you in the Gospel today. Hold your impressions and at the end, I invite you to share with us what you experience.
I find myself pondering few things: the goodness in salt, in a visible city, and in a lamp. Next, a sense of purpose: the purpose of salt is (primarily) for flavouring. A city on a mountain is a visible sign of a community. A lamp provides light when the darkness threatens one’s sight. Last, a sense of proximity: salt’s goodness is revealed in proximity to food. When looking through the lens of the Old Testament, a city on a mountain speaks of its proximity to God (who is found on the mountain). The lamp shines when its proximity to fire increases, kindling a flame to itself.
I hear Jesus telling us, “You are good, you have purpose, and your closeness to me is the way in which your goodness and purpose glorify me.”
I’m reminded of St. Catherine of Siena’s famous words:
Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.
God has made us good; we have a purpose and we are meant to become ourselves in pursuing that purpose; and that purpose is kindled into fire, like a lamp for all, when we are close to him.
My first response? I want to sit more with these words and see how deeply I can drink them in!
Being Who We Are Meant To Be
No one lights a lamp and places it beneath a bushel, but on the lamp stand that it may give light to all
We must please God always and not shrink from doing do through human respect, so that all may sew our good works and give praise to our heavenly Father.
When a kid my grandmother and mother used salt to cleanse wounds and prevent infection. Because we live next to the ocean, we might take a dip even ( never mind Neosporin didn't 'need it). So at Mass today it popped into my mind to go the local hospital and spread salt on the property and say a prayer. I need to pray about this some more, but that was my immediate thought. Truthfully my thought was someone should. I tend to be a coward.