Veni, lumen cordium, veni sancte spiritus. ‘Come Holy Spirit. Come, light of our hearts.’ When we do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit prays in us. As I begin my prayer today, I pause for a few moments to ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten me, to invite the Holy Spirit into my life, into my mind and into my heart.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 5:13-16

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.’

Yesterday Jesus gave us a portrait of blessedness. Today he tells us what that blessedness is for. In calling us salt and light for the world, he affirms what we already are in him. Does it feel true to you that you are salt and light? What makes it easy or difficult to believe this about yourself?

Salt’s power lies in enhancing flavour that is already there: it becomes useless when it can no longer bring that flavour out. Jesus is inviting us to ask honest questions about how we are living. Is there any way in which you feel you may have lost some of your ‘saltiness’ – your distinctiveness as a follower of Christ? What would it take to recover it?

As the reading is repeated, notice whether the images of salt and light speak to different parts of your life – your work, your relationships, your inner life. Where does God seem to be calling you to shine more brightly?

Matthew 5:13-16

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.’

Jesus says: let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. The goal is not self-promotion but God’s glory. Take time to speak to God about where your light is shining and where you feel it might be dimmed and why. Ask for whatever grace you need.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen