TUESDAY of 10th WEEK, uneven numbered year
"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing and can only be thrown out to be trampled under peoples’ feet.’
You are the salt of the earth. At all levels of the world, salt is known.It gives taste and flavour to all sorts of food, it conserves, vivifies, makes it healthy. We know its biblical symbol, it speaks of wisdom, expresses friendship everywhere, gives way to fraternal life and joy . In her total yes, not only does Mary not hold Jesus back, but she sends Him forth like the Father does. Jesus gives us to know what we are to be and to become, what we are deep down within us. He speaks to the world about the Love that the Father loves us with and which He sends to us. No one had spoken like He did, that we are the salt of the earth. Mary is the first one to follow Jesus and she has us understand that God can fulfill our lives beyond all expectation. In her yes at the Annunciation she accepted that God alone could delight het totally. We say yes very quickly but we can take it back, for we think that creatures can fulfill us in our lives. Very often we expect from creatures what God alone can give us, whilst knowing deep down that God alone can fill us with his Truth. Mary’s yes at the Annunciation is a trial for her, a trial of Faith, Hope and especially one of Love. She puts God at the first place. If we don’t take it back, it is in the silence of our lives that it will flourish.
“You are the Light of the world.A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden.No on lights a lamp to put it under a tub ; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house.”
We have understood how it is through his Love that Jesus is Light of the world. In truth, it is through his Yes that he pronounced once and for all to His Father. The Word given to us each day is a Light. The Apostle Paul says ’The Son of God, Jesus
Christ, has never been anything but yes. And all of God’s promises have found their yes in His Person.
’ You are the Light of the world.’ is the second image employed by Jesus who opens up a great perspective that is almost infinite and measureless. A light that is capable of lighting up the world! You don’ t light a light to put it under a bushel, but on a lampstand, so that it enlightens all in the house. We are in the mystery of Jesus’ yes, in the mystery of his Infinite Love. All of God’s promises come about in the Messiah, have found their accomplishment in Mary’s yes, in her person.This yes has its origin in Jesus and we like magnifying this yes Mary gave. She is the Mother of the One who bears all yeses, of He who is a Light for ever more.
“In the same way your Light must shine in peoples’ sight, so that, seeing your good works they may bring praise to your Father in Heaven.”Jesus, Light of the world, says to his disciples : ’You are the Light of the world,’ ; this Light of the world is found truly in our own yes, in our yes to God ’s Holy Will. We really need to say a total yes to the living word of God in the night of faith. Through Jesus’ Yes to the Father, Jesus will be come the smallest child of mankind, hidden in the womb of the woman and he will go down far to reach us. Jesus will say a total yes to the Father on the Cross through his death. He will conquer death, descending into hell his yes will be a perfect one.He will deliver us from the fear of death.If Jesus was lowered so low, he was glorified in an amazing manner. In this lowering and in this raising up, he raised us up for ever. Thus the One who is the Word of God will become Silence. To be Light of the world with Jesus we need to be in communion with Him, in his person, in a communion of love that is permanent. Thus our yes will bring about God’s marvels, it is the yes of the Resurrection. The Eucharist that we celebrate reveals it to us in a strongest way. In taking part in the communion of his Body and Blood, in participating in the Pascal feast of the Lord Jesus, we ask Him to make of our life a ’yes’, a ’yes ’of Love. Jesus’ Love is in his eternal silence of Love for his Father, it is total and complete.