In these weeks of Ordinary Time, we continue to see the Upside-down Kingdom. Jesus reveals the kingdom in ways that run counter to the world’s values, making it seem upside down to the rest of the world. Today, Jesus tells us we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

We are salt for the world. We give life flavor and prepare others to receive food from heaven. In 2002, Pope Saint John Paul II told the youth of Ischia:

Dear young men and women, it is not hard to understand this first image that Jesus used. Salt: a very important image. When there was no other way to preserve food, salt did not only serve to give food savour, but was often indispensable to ensure access to it. … The Redeemer entrusted a twofold mission to his disciples: to give life a savour by showing its meaning as revealed through him and to make accessible to all the food that comes from on high.

Being salt means that we preach the ancient message of the Gospel ever anew. We live the Gospel in a way that is attractive to others, coaxing hearts to be curious about Jesus and to desire to follow him. We do this in concrete ways, especially in our service to the poor. The prophet Isaiah lays out this Christian duty when he said, “Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own” (Isaiah 58:87).

Pope Saint John Paul elaborated on this image of salt. In Plovdiv, Bulgaria, that same year, he revealed a deeper meaning:

In Scripture, salt is a symbol of the covenant between man and God (cf. Lev 2:13)… Salt is also a sign of hospitality… to be the salt of the earth means to be a channel of peace and a witness to love. Salt is also used to preserve food, to give it flavour… Yet again: salt has healing power… which makes it an image of inner purification and conversion of the heart.

The reference in Leviticus is about seasoning our grain offerings with salt. By seasoning our grain offerings, we remain faithful to our covenant with God. Eating together with salt in our food was a sign of friendship and alliance. Pope Saint John Paul II stated that such a covenant relationship with God overflows into our relationships with others: we are hospitable, we are witnesses of love, and we offer the healing we all need on the journey of life.

Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world. Do not fear, Paul reminds us that our weakness is enough for Christ to reveal his glory (1 Cor 2:1-5). Following Christ is about allowing his presence to be evident in our lives so others can see. God calls us to be light, to live in it, and radiate that light to those who live in darkness. Jesus does not deal in superlatives; he speaks of our identity. In Jesus, we shine. Light does not shout out to the valleys, nor does it curse anyone. Light simply shines! If we live in the light of Christ, everything that is good, true, and beautiful is revealed. The wandering path of life has clarity when we live in the light of Christ.

Be what you are called to be: salt and light for all.