February 8, 2026 at Saint Peter the Apostle and Saint William Churches in Naples, FL
Isaiah 58: 7-10 + Psalm 112 + 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5 + Matthew 5: 13-16
In a world full of salt shakers, we have to work our brains around what Jesus has to say to us today, because what was precious when he first spoke these words is utterly common today. Yet, the Word of God always speaks to the present, and his direct address to us by saying, ‘You are the salt of the earth” suddenly does not suggest today that we are something rare and precious anymore. Now this living Word speaks to us in the present time when salt shakers are everywhere, and there are more kinds of lightbulbs for sale with more different colors than the rainbow and more different base sizes than any of us can figure out.
If Jesus is speaking to us today about something precious and rare, he would have said: “You are Gold. You are Uranium.” But no, it’s still about salt and light that he speaks. These may not be the most glamorous or important elements in the universe, but today they are worth more than anything else, because they are life-giving and useful for the well-being of the world.
Salt is a little thing, but just a pinch of salt can make a big difference. It is not much different with light. Whether it is a candle or a 1000-watt spot light, when it’s dark, a candle will do just fine. What Jesus would have us see is that these things, salt and light are quite ordinary, and at the same time quite useful, and that’s the point.
Look at us, no one is asking for our autograph or trying to take selfies with us to tell their friends about. We are simply ordinary people living ordinary lives. We are as common and almost as numerous as a salt shaker or one of those hundreds of light bulbs in Home Depot or Lowes, and here is the point. Jesus speaks today to ordinary people to remind us of something and perhaps clarify the purpose of our existence.
It’s about being useful. Like ordinary salt or ordinary light, we are here to be useful, beneficial, life-giving elements in this world. We are not here to consume, reproduce, play bridge or golf, or watch football on the weekends. The time we have here is provided for us to make a difference. It does not have to be something big all at once. It might just as well be something small that can make as much difference as a pinch of salt or a candle in the darkness.
We were not made to be hidden. There is a mission, that if taken seriously, will fundamentally shift how we plan our days, in terms of what we do, how we do it, and why. “You” says Jesus Christ, not someone else, and not at another time. “You are the salt of the earth.” “You are a light made for shining.” These are not words from the past. We just heard them right now, and every one of us who hears the Word of God must make a difference and be useful every day.