FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

Light Should Shine: Salt Should Make Tasty

Greeting

The Lord Jesus, the light of the world,
gathers us together.
May our faces reflect his light
and may he always be with you. R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

What is striking in today’s message is how much trust Christ puts in us, perhaps more than we do in him. He entrusts to us the mission of being his light shining in the world, the salt that preserves and spices the world with the aroma of the Gospel, the mission of being a city of light that attracts people to the Lord. What a responsibility! Today, let us ask Jesus to kindle his light in us.

Penitential Act

How little the light of Christ has shone in us!
Let us seek the Lord’s pardon.
                  (pause)
Lord Jesus, you are the true light
that enlightens all people:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, you said of yourself:
I am the light of the world;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you tell us:
You are the light of the world.
Your light must shine in people’s sight:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Lord, let the light of your mercy
take away from us the darkness of sin.
Give us the light of life
and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray that we may do the good works
that lead people to God
                  (pause)
Loving Father,
we are important to you,
for you keep entrusting to us the mission
of making your name and your love known.
Strengthen us in our weakness,
make us savor the message of the Gospel,
that in the footsteps of your Son Jesus
we may bring your light and taste to the world
and carry out this task with great joy.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

First Reading (Is 58:7-10): Let Your Light Shine On All People

The prophet tells us today: God will be near to you and you will shine with his light if you are near to the needy around you.

Second Reading (1 Cor 2:1-5): I Bear Witness to the Crucified Christ

St Paul reflects on his mission: it is not by philosophizing and making speeches that I preach Christ but by bearing witness to the crucified Lord.

Gospel (Mt 5:13-16): Salt and Light of the World

According to Jesus, our task in the world is to live according to the Gospel, so that God’s light can shine in the world.

 Intercessions

Let us now pray to the Father of light that we may truly become the salt and the light of the world. Let us say: R/ Lord, let your light shine in us.

–   That there may be more love on earth, Lord, we ask you to dispose people to be more understanding and friendlier to one another and to share more readily with those in need, so we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine in us.

–   That there may be greater justice on earth, dispose governments and public officials to make room in their priorities and budgets for the socially deprived and those out of jobs, we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine in us.

–   That there may be more peace on earth, dispose all nations to put an end to words of hatred and threats of revenge, we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine in us.

–   That there may be more joy on earth, dispose all those who follow your Son to show sympathy and affection to one another, to be faithful in our friendships and concerned about our communities, we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine in us.

–   That there may be more faith on earth, dispose all your sons and daughters to live as children of light before you and in the sight of people, we pray: R/ Lord, let your light shine in us.

Lord God, we pray that your light may shine on all the earth. However limited we are, let our words and actions reflect the light of your love, in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Our God and Father,
your Son Jesus gives himself to us
in these signs of bread and wine
as our tasty food and our drink of joy.
By the power that is in him,
help us to bear witness
that life is meaningful and worth living.
Make us people-for-others with Jesus,
that our sense of justice and sharing
may give a taste for life and love
to those around us,
that they may see that your Son
is here with us, now and for ever. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Let us give thanks to the Father in heaven that he has let the light of Jesus shine in us so that we too can become lights to the people around us.

Deliver Us

Deliver us Lord, from every evil
and set us free from the fear
of letting the light of your Son shine
in the darkness of the world.
However dim and wavering,
may our timid lights shine,
until you let us encounter for ever
the true light of earth and heaven,
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus the Lord.
He said of himself:
I am the light of the world.
He says to us:
You are the salt that should give taste
to the life of the people around you.
You are the light of the world
that should not remain hidden.
Happy are we, for the Lord trusts us
and invites us to receive him. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
you have given us the salt and light
of your Word and the bread of life.
May they make your Christian community
a city of light on a hill-top
to bear witness to your integrity,

love and justice in this world.
Accept our humble thanks
for calling us to praise your name
and sustain us by the power of him
who is the light of the world,
Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Blessing

May our love be like salt
that makes life tasty and worthwhile.
May our Christian living be a light
to those who live in darkness.
May our Christian communities
be cities of light to be seen from afar
as signs that God lives and works in his people.
And may God bless you all for this mission:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Go now, and let the light of Christ shine
on all those who live around you.
R/ Thanks be to God.

Reflection:

5 February 2023

Matthew 5:13-16

Salt of the earth and light of the world

In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses a series of images to define the disciples and their mission. He shows them primarily as the salt of the earth (v. 13).

The rabbis of Israel used to say: “The Torah—the holy Law given by God to his people—is like salt and the world cannot live without salt.” Jesus applies this image to describe his disciples and creates a provocative statement. He does not deny that the sacred Scriptures are “salt of the earth,” but says if his disciples assimilate his word and be guided by the wisdom of the beatitudes, they too will be salt of the earth.  

The image indicates that the disciples must bring to the world a wisdom capable of giving flavour and meaning to life. Without the knowledge of the Gospel, our lives, joys and sorrows, smiles and tears, celebrations or mourning would be of no meaning.

Salt is also used to preserve food, to prevent them from becoming damaged. Jesus assigns us to be the salt of the earth: with our presence in the world, we are called upon to prevent corruption, not to allow humanity be driven by wicked principles to rot and go into decay.  

In a world where debauchery, hatred, violence, and oppression are regarded normal, a Christian as the salt has the responsibility add the flavour of Gospel values. In a world where the inviolability of human life from its beginning to its natural end is doubted, where abortion, killings, drugs and substance abuse destroy humanity, a disciple of Christ is salt who reminds of the sacredness of life. Where sexuality, cohabitation, and adultery are trivialized, there the Christian reminds of the holiness of God’s plan for marital love. Where one seeks one’s own advantage, of the heroic proposal of Jesus for the gift of self.  

The “parable” of the salt ends with a call to the disciples not to become “tasteless.” Jesus warns his disciples against the danger of losing their flavour. When we fail to be add taste to the lives of people around us through our wrong witnessing, we make the Gospel lose its flavour.

The second function assigned to the disciples is that of being a city set on a hill and to be

the light of the world.” Light is the first of God’s creation: “Let there be light!” Calling his disciples “light of the world” Jesus declares that the mission entrusted by God to Israel was now destined to continue through the disciples of Jesus.