In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus tells his disciples:

“You are the salt of the earth”

and later He tells them:

“You are the light of the world”

I have been reflecting of these words, which were read out in Mass last Sunday; and which were further explained in the sermon given by my parish priest.

Salt when sprinkled on food brings out the flavours in the food, but never is salt a food which would be consumed on its own.

Light illuminates our path, but pointless it would be to switch on a light and close the door on its brightness.

This idea of salt and light as bringing enhanced taste and illumination onto my life and those around me have struck a chord within me.

The element of salt represents my  inherent skills, innate and learned; and the element of light represents how I bring these skills to the world.

Salt unused in the salt-cellar will eventually lose its taste and a light under a tub is of no use whatsoever.

The learning for me from this passage of scripture, and the words spoken by my priest, are that to be in the world is to be in the act of creating it; to be in the world is to illuminate it; to be in the world is to interact with others.

This being in the world, comes at a price, because being yourself may attract intentional / unintentional supporters and detractors and a sense within of relevance and irrelevance.

Finding the courage to bring forth our salt and light, despite the feelings we may carry of inadequacy, or despite the fear of being rejected and ridiculed or ignored, is to bring forth the very essence of our being, the very essence of our values; the very essence of our heart and soul.

My next blog will be: Health and Time

William Defoe