Salt and Light

 

 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

 

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall  it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men,  that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 5:11-16 

 

 Yesterday, we began reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapter 5 - 7).  St. Matthew writes:  And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 

 

  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  My study Bible tells us that those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs.  The Greek for be exceedingly glad means to "leap exceedingly with joy" (see Acts 5:40-41).  

 

 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall  it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men,  that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Salt and light illustrate the role of disciples in society, says my study Bible.  It notes that because of the preservative powers of salt, its necessity for life, and its ability to give flavor, it had both religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; see also Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone meant to be bound together in loyalty.  As the salt of the earth, it says, Christians are preservers of God's covenant and give true flavor to the world.  Regarding light, God is the true and uncreated Light.  In the Old Testament, light is symbolic of God (Isaiah 60:1-3), the divine Law (Psalm 119:105), and Israel in contrast to all other nations.  In the New Testament, the Son of God is called "light" (John 1:4-9, 8:12; 1 John 1:5).  Light, it continues, is necessary both for clear vision and for life itself.  Faith relies on this divine light, and believers become "sons of light" (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) who shine in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15).  In many Orthodox parishes, the Pascha (Easter) Liturgy begins with a candle being presented and the invitation to "come receive the Light which is never overtaken by night."  Finally, we come to understand that Christian virtues have both a personal and a public function; for, as my study Bible says, our virtue can bring others to glorify the Father.

 

What does it mean to be salt and light?   Jesus is speaking of believers in two ways here, as my study Bible explains.  There is first of all the integrity of salt, if you will.  That is, salt as a symbol of fidelity and steadfastness, not being wishy-washing, but firm in belief and values.  In that sense, salt binds a relationship, a relationship of community to Creator in this instance.  It is a symbol of loyalty -- of adherence to covenant.  This very steadfastness and loyalty to Christ is spoken of as "flavor," a sense in which this ingredient, liberally sprinkled adds powerful enhancement to the good things of the community, the society, and the world.  It is like the magic crystals that make everything better, turning life from just okay to delicious and appetizing, even good for you.  Having recently bought some sea salt crystals, there is this experience of something bursting with flavor on top of whatever food one has made or is eating, and this is the way that Christ sees faithful living among the society, as that which gives bursts of delight and brings out what is there in ways that magnify and give beauty to culture, the same way that a tradition of good cooking does, to make life appetizing and gracious.  Light goes without saying -- there is nothing that can be seen without light.  Light reflects upon all things, and by it and that action we can see what is what.  In this sense, light gives us the advantage of truth, of knowing where we are, how to navigate life, and to negotiate its curves.  Light in this sense is truth, and it allows us to discern the nature of things, even the details we might not see otherwise, or blur to ourselves without really looking in the dark corners.  Jesus says, "Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going" (John 12:35).  He speaks of Himself as light in that case, and His life in the world.  But here in the Sermon on the Mount, He is asking us to bear His light into the world, to become His light, to share His light and His truth by allowing it to shine in us and in our lives.  This is only possible through faith, and through faithful living, hence the indispensable quality of salt to be matched with our light.  Light shines through things, it reflects off of things,it clarifies things, and teaches us discernment, separating good from bad, distinguishing the differences and the nuances as well.  In Christ's light we distinguish false from true, and are taught to recognize heresy so that we don't go down that path.   It's part of the measure of all things.  And, lest we forget, light in Christ's time came from lamps that burned fire, not light bulbs, and the fire one reads about in the Scriptures is so often derivative or descriptive of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit's action in the world.  When Jesus speaks of believers as light, it's as well that we think of carrying lamps illumined by flames, or torches, because we carry that fire of faith and belief that can test out gold from dross, an energy that burns and consumes but also purifies and enlightens, a flame shared with us from the fire of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ.  John the Baptist came preaching that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, and here is the fire of that Holy Baptism, given to us, and what we are expected by Christ to do with it (see Matthew 3:11).  The image may be old fashioned to our ears and eyes, but nevertheless it remains the same, stunning in its message all this time later just as it was 2,000 years ago, in the timeless quality of Jesus' words.  For His word is also that flame in our hearts, as we must bear that into the world, too.  Let us remember what He asks of us today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven

 
"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

 

- Matthew 5:13–20 

 

This week, we read through the Sermon on the Mount, in preparation for Lent.  Yesterday we read that,  seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

 

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  My study Bible comments here that salt and light illustrate the role of disciples in society.  Due to its preservative powers, its necessity for life, and its capacity for giving flavor, salt had both religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; see also Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone meant that people were bound together in loyalty.  To this day salt remains used in chemical processes for its fixative properties.  As the salt of the earth, my study Bible explains, Christians are preserver's of God's covenant and give true flavor to the world.  In terms of light, we know first of all that God is the true and uncreated Light.  In the Old Testament, my study Bible comments, light is symbolic of God (Isaiah 60:1-3), the divine Law (Psalm 119:105), and Israel in contrast to all other nations.  In the New Testament, the Son of God is called "light" (John 1:4-9; 8:12; 1 John 1:5).  Light is needed for clear vision, and even for life itself in this world.  Faith relies on the divine light, and believers become "sons of light" (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) shining in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15).  In many Eastern Orthodox parishes, the Pascha (or Easter) Liturgy starts with a candle being presented as the invitation to "come receive the Light which is never overtaken by night."  My study Bible adds of this last verse here that Christian virtues have both a personal and a public function, for our virtue can bring others to glorify the Father.  

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."  My study Bible explains that Jesus fulfills the Law in Himself, in His words, and in His actions.  He does so in the following ways:  He performs God's will in all its fullness (Matthew 3:15); He transgresses no precepts of the Law (John 8:46; 14:30); He declares the perfect fulfillment of the Law, which in this Sermon He is about to deliver to the people; and He grants righteousness -- the goal of the Law -- to us (Romans 3:31; 8:3-4; 10:4).  He fulfills the Prophets both by being and by carrying out what they foretold.

"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."  The word translated as assuredly is literally "Amen."  It means "truly," or "confirmed," or "so be it," my study Bible explains.  Here Jesus is using it as a solemn affirmation, which is a form of oath.  His use of this word at the beginning of certain proclamations -- as opposed to the end -- is unique and authoritative, my study Bible tells us.  He declares His words affirmed even before they are spoken.  A jot (Greek ιωτα/iota) is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet.  A tittle is the smallest stroke in certain Hebrew letters.  So, therefore, the whole of the Law is here affirmed as the foundation of Christ's new teaching.  All is fulfilled refers to Christ's Passion and Resurrection.

 

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."  My study Bible comments that righteousness according to the Law is a unified whole.  It says that the observance of all the least commandments is to observe the whole Law, while the violation of the least commandment is considered a violation of the whole Law.  

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."  Righteousness that leads to salvation must exceed that of the Pharisees, my study Bible explains, because theirs was an outward, works-based righteousness.  The righteousness of salvation is the communion of the heart, soul, mind, and body in Jesus Christ.  True righteousness is to live in a state of continual communion with God.  By faith in Christ, we receive God's righteousness.  

If true righteousness is an ongoing communion with God, how do we achieve that?  We first need to understand that Christ came into the world as a human being in order to achieve this level of communion, this righteousness, so that we may be justified by faith.  That is, we live, and may receive an eternal life, a more abundant life, through this communion made possible through the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We partake of His life through the Eucharist, seeking to live our faith and to grow in that faith, deepening a communion that extends through all things, as my study Bible indicates when it speaks of the communion of heart, soul, mind, and body in Jesus Christ.  Jesus' teachings in today's reading give us clues about how this works through our lives in the comments that we believers are both salt and light.  As salt, we bear His covenant into the world, giving the real "flavor" of this righteousness, holding firm in faith to His teachings and living them as fully as we can, in all these ways named.  As light, we seek to reflect His light back into the world, to carry it within ourselves and share it with others, to add such "illumination" to all the things in which we might participate as part of our life's experience and the living of our faith.  In this way, Jesus says, we glorify our Father in heaven -- and so, in that sense also, we become "like Him," we imitate Christ in the living of our faith.  But Christ's righteousness also includes the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets; there is nothing left out.  My study Bible calls the Law a cohesive whole; it says that to violate the least Law is to violate the whole of it, and to uphold one Law is to uphold the whole.  In other words, the Law itself can be thought of as something representing communion in its wholeness.  If we recall that Christ's gospel is the gospel of the Kingdom, then we must consider what it means to be a part of a communion -- this communion of the Kingdom -- to step into it through faith, and for it to grow within us (like the parable of the leaven).   So we consider Christ's teachings and begin to understand that there is a depth of communion we're invited into, and the life's journey that our faith is meant to be for us is one of deepening communion.  In a comment on Romans 3:26, my study Bible notes that righteousness by faith is not a one-time declaration or "not guilty" verdict.  We are to understand it as Christ living in us, and we in Him (Galatians 2:20).  So, to be justified by righteousness is to be in communion with Christ in an ongoing, dynamic, and growing life with Him -- developing a deeper reliance upon Christ through our own struggles with faith, insights, a prayerful life, and the practices of our faith.  This is a dynamic that reaches down into the heart and soul and should be lived (as a goal) with every breath.  Let us simply begin with His images here of salt and light, and imagine what it means to live as both, in such a way as to glorify our Father in heaven, becoming a "child of light" through our Shepherd, Christ. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple

 

 Now great multitudes went with Him.  And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.  And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.  

 

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'  Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 

"Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

 

- Luke 14:25–35 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus was invited to dine in the home of a ruler of the Pharisees, teaching about humility, and addressing the guests in a parable.  Yesterday, we read that He continued to teach him who invited Him, addressing hosts.  He said, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.'  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'  So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

 

  Now great multitudes went with Him.  And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."  My study Bible comments that this command to hate one's kindred and one's own life also isn't to be taken literally.  Instead, we are to hate the way our relationships with others can hinder our total dedication to the Kingdom of God -- which takes precedence even over family ties. 

"And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."  This is a repetition of a similar teaching found at Luke 9:23.  Perhaps, now that great multitudes went with Him, the teaching is a bit more emphatic:  one must bear one's cross and come after Christ -- or one cannot be His disciple.  My study Bible comments on the earlier passage that each person must take up one's own cross.  It notes that the burden in this world is different for each person, and each has been chosen by God to bear certain struggles for one's own salvation and the salvation of those around oneself.  In that earlier passage, Jesus emphasizes that this must be done daily.  In other words, commitment to Christ isn't simply a one-time event or proclamation.  It is the continual practice of faith and obedience, even to the point of being shamed and persecuted by the world. 

 

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'  Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."  With reference to this parable of building a tower, my study Bible cites St. Paul's letter at 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, in which St. Paul speaks of himself as a master builder who lays a foundation which another builds upon.  In that passage, St. Paul speaks about his fellow workers, and how they will build upon that foundation appropriately   This passage in today's reading shows us that St. Paul follows Christ in so teaching, for Christ's teaching here once again enforces the kind of loyalty He commands as required for discipleship.  Jesus Himself forsakes all he has, and so he asks of us as well.  As God's fellow workers, my study Bible notes of St. Paul's passage, we cooperate with the Lord to do His will.  As He so often tells parables of discipleship using the illustration of servants, we consider that He is the Lord, and we are His servants who are called to participate obediently in His work.  

 

 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Here is another emphatic teaching on the requirement for discipleship.  This saying is also found in the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus couples this teaching on the image of disciples as salt, and also as light (see Matthew 5:13-16).  My study Bible comments that because of its preservative powers, its necessity for life, and its ability to give flavor, salt had both religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; see also Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone meant to be bound together in loyalty.  As the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), my study Bible says, Christians are preservers of God's covenant and give true flavor to the world.  

So Jesus emphasizes covenant with His comparison of disciples to salt.  This is made clear by my study Bible's exposition on salt in the commentary on the reference in the Sermon on the Mount, as referenced above.  This "fixative" and preserving power of salt was ubiquitous in the ancient world, before refrigeration was possible; many foods were treated with salt to prevent the growth of bacteria so they would remain fit for consumption and nourishment.   This preserving power is referenced as a kind of binding, like taking an oath, with a long history in Israel, as my study Bible says, of association with covenant and friendship.  So Christ is emphasizing the nature of discipleship, not simply as something which is good and helpful, but which is necessary for life, for the thriving of the world.  If we wonder how salt can lose its flavor, the ancient world's salt crystals indeed could leach sodium chloride through exposure to water and thus lose its saltiness.  But to really get the "flavor" of today's reading and Jesus' words, we have to take it as a whole, and to recognize that what He's calling for is a rigorous determination on the part of His disciples, to be ready -- like good soldiers or a king going out to meet an enemy, or a man preparing to build a tower -- to commit to seeing the project all the way through, no matter what it may ask of them.  It is in this spirit that Jesus teaches us what it might mean to carry a cross.  In this season of elections here in the United States of America, many comment here and around the world regarding the phenomenon of both friendships and family relations being broken and severed over political affiliation or opinion.  In a modern democracy we are ostensibly aware of many opinions, and also conditioned to accept such differences as a matter of norm in our societies.  But if these common differences are now causing such disruption in relationships, one only need to consider for a moment what something as momentous and deep as one's commitment of the soul to Christ can carry in terms of our own loyalty, and others' response to that commitment.  A deep and dedicated devotion to Christ may ask of us to make commitments that offend others whom we love, differing on matters of conscience, or even opinions about Christ Himself.  As we know, Jesus sets the pattern that He will voluntarily go to the Cross, to His Crucifixion, in obedience to the Father's will for Him.  This voluntary sacrifice remains a scandal for some, perplexing for many, and a point of contention in terms of its effects and power among different denominations and theological perspectives.  But one thing is clear, if Christ Himself was asked to undertake this Cross and this sacrifice for all of us, then none of us can refuse a cross of our own.  In our modern affluent societies, it might be offensive in and of itself to some to suggest that sacrifice is something we will all encounter as disciples of Christ, but nonetheless it remains truth and a part of Scripture.  We might separate from a friend (or even relatives) because we don't like the practices of gossip or scapegoating we consistently find.  Perhaps our criticism of such habits alone is enough to create rage in others.  What we perceive as unjust or unfair is another possible point of difference that can spark separation, and the Cross that Christ undertook has everything to do with injustice, in which the innocent suffer.  We ourselves may undertake that role, as did Christ, and suffer for telling the truth when others would prefer convenient and less disruptive lies instead.  Whatever way our cross comes to us, we can't ignore Jesus' emphatic and repeated teachings here.  In Matthew's Gospel, when Jesus sends out the apostles on their first mission, He speaks about this division in families, adding, "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake."  He reminds them that "a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!" (see Matthew 10:16-25).  If disciples remain today as "sheep among wolves" then how are we to avoid conflict?  Jesus' call for believers to be like salt that does not lose its flavor is a call to steadfastness even in the face of what we might lose that we hold precious for the sake of the gospel.  Let us consider how this mission today might include our own cross, and what we put first in life. 

 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven

 

 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 5:11-16 

 

In the reading from Saturday, we read of the explosive growth of Christ's ministry, across the territories of Israel and the Jewish communities that surround them, even in Gentile areas.  So already "great multitudes" are following Jesus.  Yesterday we read that, seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

 

  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  My study Bible tells us that those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the same road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs.  The Greek word translated as be exceedingly glad means to "leap exceedingly with joy."  (See Acts 5:40-41.)

 

 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."  Salt and light are used here by Jesus to illustrate the role of disciples in the society.  My study Bible explains that because of its preservative powers, its necessity for life, and its ability to give flavor, salt had religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; See also Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone, it notes, meant to be bound together in loyalty.  As the salt of the earth, therefore, faithful Christians are preservers of God's covenant and they give true flavor to the world.   Regarding these images of light, God is the true and uncreated Light.  In the Old Testament, light is symbolic of God (Isaiah 60:1-3), the divine Law (Psalm 119:105), and Israel in contrast to all the other nations.  In the New Testament, moreover, the Son of God is called "light" (John 1:4-9, 8:12; 1 John 1:5).  My study Bible says that light is necessary both for clear vision and also for life itself.  So, faith relies on this divine light, and believers become "sons of light" (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5), who shine in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15).  In many Orthodox parishes, the Pascha (Easter) Liturgy begins with a candle being presented, and the faithful are invited to "come receive the Light which is never overtaken by night."

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Of this verse, my study Bible notes that Christian virtues have both a personal and public function, for our virtue can bring others to glorify the Father.  

Salt and light seem to serve several important functions.  As Jesus has given us both of them, we may assume that both are necessary for us to understand and to follow in our own lives as disciples of Christ.  Salt speaks of covenant, loyalty, a kind of steadfastness to a pledge and a relationship.  It asks us for our firm bond to Christ, through thick and thin, through good times and bad.  Jesus also emphasizes its flavoring qualities, which are essential everywhere in cuisine.  Salt has that flavor property that universally adds to whatever it is one uses it on.  (If there is any doubt that this is also true of sweet foods, let it be known that many salt watermelon and also apples.   In some sweet foods, it is a kind of balancing agent, again enhancing flavor.)  In the ancient world, salt was necessary -- as my study Bible points out -- for preservative power before refrigeration was available.  Believers, therefore, in this context, are valuable to God as those who are loyal and steadfast, and also as those who "flavor" the earth with its enhancing power.  Light, of course, has long been an image of God.  From the pillar of fire that illumined the way for the Israelites following Moses in the night, to the halos of the saints and angels, and manifest in the light of the Transfiguration, light is an unshakable image of God and God's energies at work in the world.  Beyond that, the light of the Lord is said to illuminate our path through a difficult world, beset with paradoxical choices and dilemmas and temptations, half-truths and heresies.  Jesus spoke of Himself as Lord to the people, just prior to the events of Holy Week, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going" (John 12:35-36).  So God is Light (John 1:5), the grace of God (God's energies in the world) is light, and yet another property of that light is that it is shared with us, and we also may bear it into the world (Acts 2:3).  Jesus speaks of a lampstand because in the ancient world, light was given through fire, through torches and lamps which burned oil, so we must understand all instances of fire to be also giving us images of this light.  In fact, the verb "to shine" in the Greek of the Gospel is λάμπω/lampo.  Not only may we be gifted by the bearing of this light ourselves, but through our own faithfulness, Christ asks us to participate in the work of grace:  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."   What are these "good works?"  Well, they are undoubtedly related to the fruit of the Spirit, which St. Paul teaches is "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control," and for which he adds, "Against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).  In living these qualities, and bearing this fruit, we let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.  

 

But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea

 

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 

'Their worm does not die,

 And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 

 'Their worm does not die,

 And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 

 'Their worm does not die, 

 And the fire is not quenched.'

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

 

- Mark 9:42-50 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus and the disciples departed from the region of Caesarea Philippi and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." 

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."  My study Bible comments that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"  My study Bible comments that Christ's references to mutilation in today's passage (cut it off, pluck it out) are illustrations of decisive action to avoid sin.  They are not advocacy for literal amputation.  These images also apply to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 66:24.  Here we may consider the transgressions and selfish actions which a hand may commit against little ones; it reaches out to strike, or to grab something that does not belong to oneself.  A hand may point an accusing finger against the innocent.

"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"  A foot may trespass over boundaries not meant to be crossed, into territory where we don't belong.  It may be used to kick another, especially harmful to a "little one."  Let us note that such abusive actions may also be figurative, illustrative of actions that take place on a social or personal level of harm, insult, or injury in a psychological sense.

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"  An eye covets what does not belong to oneself, or it looks with envy and malevolence.  Our eye may also be "bad" or "evil" in the sense that we don't properly see the person we behold, but cast them in a false negative light. 

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."  To be seasoned with fire is to be tested to see if one's faith and works are genuine, my study Bible teaches.  See 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.   As Jesus says every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt, He quotes Leviticus 2:13.  There, my study Bible explains, salt stands for the remembrance of God's covenant with God's people.  Because salt had preservative powers, was necessary for life, and has the ability to give flavor, it takes on religious and sacrificial significance.  To eat salt with someone, my study Bible adds, meant to be bound together in loyalty.  See also Matthew 5:13 in the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus calls believers "the salt of the earth."

Jesus seems to take great care here to caution the disciples against abuses of power -- especially abuses of the "little ones" in the Church.  These little ones can be thought of as all those who are humble, as my study Bible says, and those without clout or power, who come to faith within that framework of the poor in spirit who need and depend upon God and their faith.  As we know all too well thanks to popular notions of psychology, abuse (especially to the powerless, "little," or humble) often leads to great harm to a person -- making it that much more likely they will sin and pass on that harm and abuse to others.  We would do well to remind ourselves over and over again that the whole point of Christ's teaching is here, when He says, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."  To cause one of these little ones to stumble could mean to place a stumbling block or snare before them, such as false or misleading teachings that include abuses of power by those who would be hierarchs or authorities in the Church.  Such stumbling blocks and temptations may also include various forms of abuse itself, of which we have become all too aware in the Church, or practices that scandalize the little ones and help to drive them away or to reject the faith.  Recovery from such stumbling blocks and scandals can be long and hard, and one must overcome one's own bad experiences in order to return to the road of faith, especially within the Church.  When we look at scandals, abuses, and bad practices, particularly within the purview of the Church -- or even by believers who are, after all, representatives to the world of our faith -- then we should think of these verses.  They are strong (indeed, the strongest possible) advocacy by Jesus to look to our own behaviors and take all measures to correct them.  This is the case even if changing one's own habits feels as difficult as cutting off a cherished body part (a hand, a foot, an eye).  Christ's thrice-repeated reminder of an eternal torment (Isaiah 66:24) is the strongest possible warning against offenses that cause the little ones who believe in Him to stumble.  Equally stunning is His remark that it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."  Since we know that Jesus does not choose words flippantly or lightly, we'd better pay close attention to that word, "better," for this is again a dire and stark warning.  In Luke 12:48, Jesus says in reply to a question by Peter, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."  Therefore we must consider that the greater the responsibility, and the more understanding we have of our faith, the more incumbent Christ's warnings become for us.  For it is yet another temptation to let greater authority persuade us that we may relax our own diligence and self-awareness.  In truth, the need we have for vigilance in this respect only grows in such circumstances.  Perhaps that's why it is wisdom to consider that whoever desires to be first shall be last of all and servant of all.  As we are each ambassadors for our faith in some sense, as we may each represent our faith to others, Christ's words remain essential to our awareness.  Let us consider as well another teaching from yesterday's reading, that when we behold one of the little ones who belong to Him (in His name), we not only behold Christ, but also the Father who sent Him.  Once again, as we remind ourselves that we are in Lent, let us receive Christ's words with all the seriousness with which He gives them to us.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven

 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

"You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

- Matthew 5:11-16

Yesterday we read that Jesus, seeing the multitudes who by now are coming to His ministry, went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  My study bible tells us that those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs.  In Greek, the word for be exceedingly glad means to "leap exceedingly with joy."  (See Acts 5:40-41).

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."  Here and in the following verses Jesus introduces two metaphors for the role of disciples in the society:  salt and light.  Especially in ancient times, salt had preservative powers, was necessary for life, and also gave flavor to all things.  From all of these qualities, including those upon which people were dependent, salt developed both religious and sacrificial significance (Leviticus 2:13; see also Numbers 18:19, 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone, my study bible says, meant to be bound together in loyalty.  So, in the words of my study bible, as the salt of the earth, Christians are preservers of God's covenant, and also give true flavor to the world.

"You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."  My study bible explains that God is the true and uncreated light.  In the Old Testament, light is symbolic of God (Isaiah 60:1-3), and the divine Law (Psalm 119:105), and also of Israel in contrast to the other nations.  In the New Testament, the Son of God is called "light" (John 1:4-9, 8:12; 1 John 1:5).  Light, my study bible comments, is necessary both for clear vision and for life itself.  Faith relies also on this divine light.  Believers become "sons of light" (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).  Thus, they shine in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15).   In Eastern Orthodoxy, the Easter Liturgy frequently begins with a candle being presented in a darkened church, with the invitation to "come receive the Light which is never overtaken by night."  The flame is shared, passing from parishioner to parishioner, lighting each one's held candle, until the entire church is illumined for the Resurrection at midnight, thus it gives light to all who are in the house.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  My study bible notes here that Christian virtues have both a personal and a public function, for our own virtue can bring others to glorify the Father. 

So how do we practice the virtues of salt and light?  Let us remember that Jesus has just given the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, the entire list of blessings of the Kingdom, those mysterious realities that become a part of our lives through participation in this Kingdom even as we live our lives in the world (see yesterday's reading, above).  Let us take a look at these blessings Jesus speaks about, as they are blessings of identity and character, that develop through time and through discipleship, with God's help.  They are especially blessings of the Holy Spirit working in us and in our lives:  to be poor in spirit, to mourn the state of the world and our own lives and relationships where broken, to have an attitude of meekness in the sense of acceptance of life as it is in the context of faith, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to practice mercy as a way of life or attitude, to be pure in heart and focused on loving God and where that leads us, to endeavor to be a peacemaker -- bringing God's peace to all situations, and to suffer even persecution should it come for righteousness' sake.  These are the qualities of those who form the spiritual components of salt and light for communities, for the life of the world.  Jesus is encouraging us to be a part of something that takes us out of the world while we are yet in the world (see John 15:19, 17:15).  Thus, we may shine as light, or give a pungent and noticeable flavor as does salt.  I remember once reading about salt and its flavor properties, which are marked and unusual and fall into a distinctive category.  This is one which is considered to magnify and complement other prized or treasured flavors.  So, not only is salt treasured for its basic properties of flavor and preservation -- especially before widespread refrigeration was possible.  But it is also a component that livens the other flavors in whatever dish to which it is added.  If you love the flavor of tomato, adding salt will actually boost the flavor of  "tomato" in addition to giving saltiness.  (Let us note how Jesus emphasizes flavor in His depiction of salt as useless should it lose flavor.)  In the Greek, Jesus' expression for "losing flavor" adds another interesting idea to consider, because the text literally uses a word for "foolish" (and which we know in English as "moron").  The sense in which this word is used is to be missing something, or to have lost something -- and frequently appears as an insult, meaning lacking in intelligence or understanding.  So the robustness of salty flavor is emphasized as that which gives character, even intelligence, insight, understanding.  For the society to lack such individuals cultivated in discipleship is to be missing the whole purpose, apparently, of the Incarnation and the effects hoped for.  Couple this with notions of light, and we have a picture of that which illumines in each sense of that word.  Thrown upon any subject or scene, light illumines and makes clear what is there.  Light of a full spectrum shines as white, and therefore gives a clear picture of what we see.  Light lacking any part of the spectrum no longer reflects colors as is appropriate to us, and a dim light does not offer the same clarity.  So to add light is to help others to see.  It also throws into stark relief dark shadows, and illumines the places previously left in darkness so that we could not see -- thus giving to us what was previously hidden.  For believers to function as salt and light is to add the character of each of the Beatitudes to the world, giving powerful illumination and flavor to life, showing what is possible, and casting a light on what was hidden in darkness, magnifying potential, and helping us to discard what is not helpful.  Let us be that salt and light by understanding that Christ calls us to become something via discipleship.  Belief or faith is not simply a matter of acquiescing to a set of principles.  It is a way of life that asks for trust in Him, to be led on a certain way (John 14:6), toward something -- a fullness of something, and to grow in that fullness.  When we first come to Christ in faith, or in response to a call, we might not be at all prepared for the salt and light He wants us to become.  But He asks us to grow in these roles, to come to be something to which He calls us, and to continue in that growth in discipleship.  Let us consider the places He calls us, and just how much importance He gives to these crucial roles we might fill.  There is no telling where they might lead.  Note that salt and light aren't merely good in themselves; they are good as complements to whatever is around them.  They add something to life in this world, they bring something for the whole life of the world, all of creation.  That is the goal where we are called to be, and to become even more thereafter.  It is for this we bear even to suffer persecution, linking salt again to sacrifice, and magnifying the greatness of the gift.

Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple

 Now great multitudes went with Him.  And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.  And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.  For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'  Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

"Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

- Luke 14:25-35

On Saturday, we read that Jesus was invited to eat bread at the home of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on the Sabbath.  Yesterday we read that Jesus said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'  So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

Now great multitudes went with Him.  And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."  Jesus is at the point in His ministry where He has a great many followers.  But in the midst of this "popularity," Jesus gives them a teaching to set one back on one's heels.  To follow Him takes total dedication, and His teachings must be the top priority, coming before father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters -- and even one's own life.  This is the strength of discipleship that He says is required.  My study bible says that the command to hate one's kindred and his own life also is not to be taken literally.  We are rather to hate the way our relationships with others can hinder our total dedication to the Kingdom of God, which takes precedence even over family ties.

"And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."  This saying goes directly in line with Jesus' previous statement about discipleship taking priority over all else in life.  To bear one's own cross is to be willing to let all go for the sake of discipleship, if need be.  That is, whatever it is we cling to that needs to change in the light of Christ's communion with us.  My study bible notes that each person must take up his own cross.  The burden in our worldly lives is different for each person, and each person has been chosen by God to bear certain struggles for one's own salvation and the salvation of those around oneself.  My study bible adds that this cross asks of us a continual practice of faith and obedience, even to the point of being shamed and persecuted by the world.

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'  Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."  To enter into the practice of discipleship with Christ is not simple nor easy, if we take it truly seriously.  Jesus speaks of preparation, and cites the reasonableness of planning to undertake a great project.  Are we prepared for this?  Are we prepared to sacrifice or give up certain things that it may take for us to truly follow Him?  My study bible cites 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.  St. Paul gives an illustration of this process, likening it to the construction of "God's building," of which we are each a part.

 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  In Matthew's Gospel, this reference to disciples as salt is found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:13).  It is given by Jesus after the Beatitudes, and after His teaching, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  We see the consistent emphasis on the taking up of one's cross; that this life of discipleship is worth it, regardless of our worldly experience of sacrifice.  As the "salt of the earth" we are prepared for the long haul, to take on this journey of discipleship, accepting what comes and reaping the rewards of the blessings of the Kingdom as our true treasure.

Here is the full quotation of 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, cited by my study bible in relation to today's passage:  "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."  This is a good example of what Christ is speaking about in today's reading, because it also illustrates what it is to take up one's own cross.  Christ is the foundation upon which we build our lives.  And each one of us makes his or her own contribution to this building, just as we are the "living stones" cited by St. Peter, as those who make up a spiritual house:  "Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:4-5).  Note how St. Paul teaches us that each builds as he or she can -- but even the work that is burned becomes a sacrifice as in taking up one's cross; salvation still happens through the work of this fire.  So it is when we struggle in discipleship.  We may have attachments, such as to family, or habits we acquire from our upbringing, that will need revisiting within our communion with Christ.  Did you learn abuse in your family?  What comes under the definition of love that doesn't come up to Christ's standard?  The habits and practices of a modern world -- particularly when it comes to sexuality -- don't always teach us how precious our own sexuality really is, and how much it determines our soul's understanding of love and loyalty.  Modern notions of sexual morality have been made under the label of "freedom," but in effect they don't take into consideration the power of personal integrity and the soul's sovereignty that our ancient ancestors understood a choice for virginity  to really mean within the context of their own societies.  Christ says that we must choose carefully to make a plan for discipleship:  loyalty to Him comes first.  Many of the ancient martyrs of the Church were young women, promised in marriage by their families, but who chose instead their fidelity to Christ over all else.  This is a story repeated throughout Church history in the monastic tradition.  What is important is that we understand that it is every aspect of our lives that comes under the glare of the bright light of Christ.  There will be hidden assumptions we no longer may wish to go along with, things easily accepted as part of a group or crowd or family, or whatever social unit is important to us.  The cross we each take up will be the personal struggle within each one of us, but the discipleship of Christ will bring us firmly into a reality in which we will come to truly know ourselves and the reality of God's love -- which includes things we did not know ourselves capable to do, as well as those things we may assume must be ours to do but which we will have to forego.  Let us plan accordingly, and accept His will over all others.  Christ promises no utopia, but what he offers us is real life.

Everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched - where

'Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.'

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.'

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where

'Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched.'

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

- Mark 9:42-50

Yesterday, we read that Jesus and the disciples passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desire to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.  If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched - where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'  And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.  It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'"   We have to take this statement in the context of yesterday's reading.  Jesus has taught the disciples about "greatness" and what it means, in response to their own disputes about who would be greatest in His kingdom.  Their primary care is that of the little ones -- those who come in faith to Christ.   They are in their care, and in the face of the simple and humble faithful the disciples are to see not only Christ, but also the Father.  Here His tone turns very stern as He issues a warning -- three times reiterating a quotation from Isaiah (Isaiah 66:24) in order to emphasize the dangers to their own lives in the Kingdom should they fail in this mission.  The primary concern is the care of the "little ones," and in that service all sacrifices are to be made for their good.  To cut off a hand is to give up what can lead to abuse of position:  covetousness, for instance, the desire for wealth, exploitation and stealing from these faithful.  No matter what personal character trait one must give up -- even if it feels like cutting off a hand -- that will be far better than the results of harming the little ones.  The foot that would cause one to sin can be seen as a symbol for leading oneself (and others) astray, wandering from the path that Christ has set out.  The eye that causes one to sin can be another kind of covetousness, of envy, of a glance that is predatory rather than caring, objectifying as commodity rather than seeing Christ.  There are many ways in which power and authority can be abused. Jesus is telling them that their authority and greatness rests on their good care of the little ones.  This is the harshest warning possible about the results of any form of exploitation, false teaching, leading astray.  To cause the little ones to stumble is to create brokenness, put obstacles in the way to their faith, harm their spiritual welfare.  We can think of many ways in which that can happen at the hands of those who are supposed to be caring for the souls of the humble and those in need of spiritual care.   The only true answer is for humility in those who would be great -- to the point of casting off their own weaknesses and temptations, no matter what it takes.  Their own self-sacrifice is necessary to save themselves.  

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.  Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."    To be seasoned with fire is to be tested; this is a promise Jesus gives for everyone.  My study bible says that this testing is to see if one's faith and works are genuine (see also 1 Corinthians 3:11-15).  Salt was a symbol of covenant, and Jesus is quoting here from Leviticus 2:13.  Sacrifice, challenge, even a test of fire -- none of this is to be made for any other purpose except to strengthen covenant between Christ and His faithful.  Salt is the covenant that binds believers and their shepherds together, even believers from different flocks (as stated by Jesus in yesterday's reading, above).  Those faithful who receive even a cup of water and thereby assure reward, and those who offer in the name of Christ, do so in covenant by faith in Christ.  It's by this fact that if they have salt in themselves, they must have peace with one another.  Christ is that peace.  For salt to lose its flavor (a possibility in ancient sources of salt, in which the "salty" component of the seasoning could be lost through exposure to moisture) would imply metaphorically that a true commitment to covenant was lacking.

Jesus is the communion that glues the faithful together.  In yesterday's reading, He spoke about those who were not part of the same group with the disciples, but were casting out demons in His name.  It is faith "in His name" that becomes the binding agent of covenant, that links us all together.  We extend a cup of water to another "in His name" -- because of faith in Christ.   Those who receive who bear Christ in their hearts also convey a blessing on the giver.  Here Jesus tells the disciples they must be prepared for sacrifices, to let go of everything within themselves that interferes with the proper care of the little ones in whom they must see not only Christ Himself, but also the Father.  This is done for covenant, for the tie that binds all, Christ Himself.  Every sacrifice is done with a purpose, for covenant, to strengthen the communion in Christ.  Jesus calls for sacrifice -- especially self-sacrifice on the part of those who will lead, those who would be "greatest" in the Kingdom.  Every temptation for abuse of power must be sacrificed, any tendency that gets in the way of nurturing and caring for the "little ones" -- humble believers who come to them in faith.  This is the only way to honor and cement covenant, and He is that covenant.  So the real question becomes "How do we truly honor Christ?"  He is the mediator and covenant between all of our relationships, particularly in how we treat each other.  By honoring Him, His covenant, He also creates our peace with one another.  So what is greatness in His kingdom?  It is being able to care and nurture for all who come to Him.  You never know who that might include; Christ's teachings are for all of us.  In everything we do, He is the negotiator, the mediator.  This must be our awareness in every encounter.

You are the salt of the earth

 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

"You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:11-16

Yesterday, we began to read the Sermon on the Mount, which we will read through in chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew's gospel.  We began with what are called the Beatitudes.  By now, Jesus' ministry is popular, and is known through all the territories where Jews live.  He is followed by "multitudes" from every region.  Seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  My study bible says that those who suffer persecution for Christ walk the road of the prophets, saints, and martyrs.  The Greek that is translated into be exceedingly glad means to "leap exceedingly with joy."  (See Acts 5:40-41.)  The important thing to remember here is all of the Beatitudes just listed by Christ, the real "art" of discipleship.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."  Jesus uses salt and light as metaphors for the role of disciples in society.  My study bible tells us that because of its preservative powers, its necessity for life, and its ability to give flavor, salt had religious and sacrificial significance (see Leviticus 2:13; also Numbers 18:19, 2 Chronicles 13:5).  To eat salt with someone meant to be bound together in loyalty.  Salt signifies covenant.  If Christian disciples are salt of the earth, they are preservers of covenant with God and give this true flavor to the world.  Jesus is encouraging us to hang fast to our discipleship; it is the thing that gives us flavor, and worth, adding value to the world.

"You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."   God is the true and uncreated Light.  In the Creed, we say that Jesus Christ is "true light from true light."  In the Old Testament light symbolizes God (Isaiah 60:1-3), the divine Law (Psalm 119:105), and Israel in contrast to all other nations.  In the New Testament, the Son of God is called "light" (John 1:4-9; 8:12, 1 John 1:5).  Light is necessary both for clear vision and for life itself, says my study bible.  Faith relies on this divine light, and thereby believers become "sons of light" (John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5) who shine in a perverse world (Philippians 2:15).   Discipleship therefore is both a personal and public reality; we glorify the Father for others by our personal discipleship.

 Salt and light are the metaphors that Jesus gives us for our discipleship, for what we become as disciples.  We are the salt of the earth, and the light of the world.  This teaches us about the value of discipleship, what it adds to the world, what it does for the whole of the society, of the community, which is the whole world.  He invites us in to participate in this ministry by being the salt and the light that He carries into the world.  This isn't just about ascribing or following a theory or a theology or a philosophy.  It isn't just an intellectual commitment to a good idea.  Becoming salt and light means being a living disciple, carrying the Kingdom within us, being ministry and living ministry.  In some way, it almost doesn't matter what we do formally as jobs or vocations.  Discipleship is something that infuses life, infuses us.  It becomes something that makes us on purpose no matter where we are or what we do.  It is something that is always with us, throughout all times of our lives.  The Beatitudes teach us that, a life of prayer keeps us there, always connected in to this purpose, this mission, this place where we know who we are because of what we serve.  That's the way to think about what it is to be salt and to be light.  We keep our flavor of discipleship alive and living within us at all times.  We shine a light into the world by doing so, an active light, something that comes from within us because that is where you will find the Kingdom of God.  This is Jesus' invitation, His exhortation:  Be these disciples, be salt and light.  This is worthy of your life and the great value invested in you.  You are the ones for whom the Son has been given, out of love.  This is worth everything.  Without salt and light, we cannot live.