Not As They Should Be

Tim Doppel
Feb 6
3 min read

5^th Sunday of Ordinary Time; Matthew 13-16

…your light must shine before others so that they may… give praise to God.

Where is usually found a panorama of green and color, is now but a blanket of white. The eight or so inches of snow has been blown smooth and flat by the winter winds and not a single ripple or rise can be seen. One brave creature has created a line in the snow, as it made its way to the bird feeder to see if there might be a few scraps to feed on. The human caretaker of the bird feeder has himself, however, not ventured out into the snowscape to replenish the stock, and so the creature was forced to make its way back to its nest for shelter. Things are not as they usually are.

When the weather creates unusual circumstances, all of creation is affected. The birds stay in their nests, the squirrels remain in their dreys, the deer hunker down in hollows, and the humans remain ensconced in the warmth of their homes. Routine tasks become undone and necessities become a struggle. Things are not as they usually are, and all living things look for something to change.

Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount encouraging his followers to be salt and light to the world. His listeners would have understood the importance of salt as a substance that brings flavor, but also preserves food. A lantern shining a bean of light was imperative in that time, as there were no streetlights or lamps that automatically turned on as you walked by. Without a bright lantern, you were lost in the darkness of the land.

And darkness covered the land indeed in the time of Jesus. The Roman occupation was omnipresent in every corner of Judea and the whole Levant. Even if there might not be soldiers in your town, you were still aware of the Roman presence due to your poverty. To make matters worse, some Jews had become sycophants of the Romans and acted as local rulers over regions. Herod and his family took advantage of the locals and profited greatly because of it, while the Romans looked the other way. No one dared to speak against the Romans or the rulers or the Temple leaders, lest they be impoverished, imprisoned, or eradicated. Things were not good, and all living things looked for something to change.

Jesus told his followers to be a light on a lampstand. Their light was to shine into every dark corner of the empire and bring the light of God’s love to every living creature. Just as their food would rot if not protected by salt, the very souls of the people would rot if not seasoned with the salt that is God’s love.

I envision that those who understood what Jesus was saying most likely were uneasy at the idea of standing up to the Romans, the Herods and the Sanhedrin. And, if I am honest, this reading causes me to be a bit uneasy as well. How can it not? To be salt in a world that is seasoned, not with sweetness and kindness, but with bitterness and malevolence, I am called to be a seasoning of love and peace. I am called to shine a light on the dark intentions of those who would seek to detain, deport, and deny God’s people of their just rights. To do so is not without risk to my wellbeing. But to refuse to act is to put my soul at risk.

As a baptized Christian who receives the Eucharist at mass, Jesus looks to me to be salt and light in an unseasoned and darkened world. Things are not as they should be, and all living things cry out for change.

Every Day.