杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on Jesus鈥� call in the day鈥檚 Gospel (Mt 5:13-16) for His disciples to be salt and light.

Jesus鈥� use of symbolic language, said the 杏MAP导航, lays out criteria for how the Lord鈥檚 disciples are to live their mission in the world.

Salt: resisting sin and moral degradation

Beginning with the metaphor of salt, he said it gives flavor and preserves food from spoiling.

So, said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渢he disciple is therefore called to keep society away from the dangers and corrosive elements that pollute people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

Christians do this by resisting sin and moral degradation, as well as by bearing witness to honesty and solidarity. He also warned of several temptations to be on guard against, including careerism, power, and wealth.

Even when we fall, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, being salt means starting afresh every day 鈥渨ith courage and patience鈥�, seeking 鈥渄ialogue and encounter with others.鈥�

Being salt also means not seeking approval or praise, but being faithful to Jesus鈥� teaching to serve our brothers and sisters in humility.

鈥淭his attitude is greatly needed!鈥� the 杏MAP导航 exclaimed.

Light: performing good deeds to bring others to Christ

Turning to the second image, 杏MAP导航 Francis said light 鈥渄ispels darkness and allows us to see.鈥�

Jesus, he said, has already dispelled the darkness of sin, though some shadows 鈥渟till remain in the world and within individuals.鈥�

鈥淚t is the Christian鈥檚 task to dispel it further by making Christ鈥檚 light shine among others and by proclaiming His Gospel,鈥� he said.

We can emanate the Lord鈥檚 light through our words, but especially through our good deeds, directing others 鈥渢o God so they can experience His goodness and mercy.鈥�

鈥淎 disciple of Jesus is light when he or she knows how to live their faith outside narrow spaces, helping to eliminate prejudices, slander, and bringing the light of truth into situations tainted by hypocrisy and lies.鈥�

Church: overcoming oppression to evangelize and serve

杏MAP导航 Francis said Jesus is urging us to live our faith in the world, despite the headwinds of conflict and sin.

The Church, he said, must overcome violence, injustice, and oppression, and 鈥渃annot abandon her mission of evangelization and service.鈥�

鈥淭he Church gives herself with generosity and tenderness on behalf of the least and the poor. She listens to the cry of those in last place and the excluded, because she is aware that she is a pilgrim community called to extend throughout history the saving presence of Jesus Christ.鈥�

Before beginning the Angelus prayer, 杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his remarks asking that the Blessed Virgin 鈥渉elp us to be salt and light in the world, bringing to everyone 鈥� in life and word 鈥� the Good News of God's love.鈥�