Faith Daily | 8 June 2021

PRAYER of the DAY - PENTECOST APBA p550

O Lord, from whom alone all good things come:

grant that by your holy inspiration

we may think those things that are good,

and by your merciful guiding

may perform them;

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Matthew 5: 13 - 16

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

GOSPEL Reflection: Contributed by: Meredith Scott-McMahon

So how do we live out Jesus’ exhortation to be the salt of the earth and the light on the hill?

I find it fascinating that this passage about ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘light on a hill’ comes so closely after the Beatitudes. Jesus tells us how blessed we will be if we are humble enough to recognize our need of God, search for God’s way in all we do and say, care about others, are motivated by goodness, and are willing to stand up for the rights of others where we see injustice. With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to transform our innermost being, we can live that way.

It’s no longer seen as a mark of respectability to attend church as it was when I was growing up. Indeed ‘believing 10 impossible things before breakfast’ seems to be how most of the population view Christianity now and sadly, the misdeeds that happened behind the closed doors of the churches have turned many away.

If we as believers are indeed to be the salt of the earth, that’s a huge responsibility. We must live out the values of the beatitudes in private and working life to have credibility when we quietly but bravely assert our belief in Jesus Christ whenever we have the opportunity.

And our church, opening its doors wide to the community with compassion, caring and warmth, welcoming and offering support in a variety of ways, can indeed be the beacon that lights up the hill.

FINAL PRAYER: SL Media

God our Father, on a hillside in Galilee, your Son Jesus called us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Give us the strength and wisdom to become the people of the Beatitudes in our day, so that our words may season the world with the flavour of the Gospel and our lives be shining examples of Jesus who is the true Light of the world.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

Amen