- Matthew 5:16
Imagine how surprised the people were to hear Jesus say, "You re the salt of the earth ... You are the light of the world."
The setting for the words of Jesus was up in Galilee. The people would have said in surprise, "Hey, we're farmers ... fishermen ... carpenters. He must have pulled out the wrong speech. He meant this for the folks down in the big city, in Jerusalem. That's where there are scholars and lawyers and where the priests offer sacrifices in the temple. That's where things happen."
But Jesus knew full well what he was saying: "You are salt ... you are light."
Now there's a twist on that for us.
Sometimes we talk about building a wonderful church as a way of expressing glory to God. We speak as if the building itself gives glory to God. But on a deeper level, the truth is that the building is there for us and for our children and for the people who will come to the church for the next 100 years because we are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.
As for giving glory to God - that's what we do every time we come to Mass and thank God for God's good gifts. We give the greatest glory to God not by the building itself, but when we walk through the church door with a blessing, and go out as salt and light to the world.
Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to God.
- Little Burgundy Book, Diocese of Saginaw