by Fr. Tommy Lane
You are precious to Jesus. You are his witnesses in the world. Just how precious you are to the Lord is seen in the words of Jesus in the Gospel today (Matt 5:13-16). Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth.” (Matt 5:13) Salt adds flavor but also preserves. Before the days of refrigeration, meat was preserved by salting it. You witnessing to Jesus is preserving the world. Jesus also said, “You are the light of the world.” (Matt 5:14) You witnessing to Jesus is enlightening the world. You witnessing to Jesus is showing that following Jesus is a good way to live, is the best way to live. Jesus is saying in the Gospel today that the world needs you.
Not only does the world need your witnessing, but your fidelity to Jesus as his salt and light, is an enormous joy to Jesus. In his revelations to St. Faustina, Jesus revealed how devout and faithful people are precious to him. He said, “These souls brought me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness.” (Diary of St. Faustina §1214) So your fidelity to Jesus brought him consolation as he carried his cross to Calvary and you were a drop of consolation in the midst of all his pain.
Your prayers every day are like salt preserving the world. Your prayers every day are saving the world. Once Jesus’ disciples were unable to cast out a demon. Jesus cast out the demon and said this kind can only be driven out through prayer (Mark 9:29). If enough people pray, prayer can change the course of history. Abraham interceded before God for Sodom, and if God found enough righteous people the city could be saved (Gen 18:16-33). At first God would spare the city for fifty good people. But five more times Abraham interceded before God when he could not find enough righteous people in the city, and on five occasions the number needed was reduced from fifty to eventually only ten. We see that just a small number of good people can change the course of history. Our Lady appeared in Fatima each month from May 1917 to October 1917. On May 13 she said to “pray the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war.” Our Lady repeated that message again during her apparition in July—to pray the rosary for peace—and again in September, to pray the rosary for peace. In July she also added, “if people do not cease offending God, a worse war will break out during the Pontificate of Pius XI.” That worse war did unfortunately break out two decades later, the second world war. We should never underestimate the power of prayer. A small number of people can save a city or a country. You witnessing Jesus, being his salt and light, is saving the world and is very important to Jesus.
What about those who are not witnessing Jesus and not being salt or light? In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, Jesus refers to them as “lukewarm.” (Rev 3:14-18) Those words from Jesus were for the city of Laodicea in what we now call Turkey. It was a prosperous city with a strong textile industry and was known for its medical center. Its water supply was piped from a hot spring and by the time it arrived in Laodicea it was lukewarm. But in the midst of its wealth and prosperity, it was spiritually poor. Jesus’ words to them were in language they could understand. Jesus said they were neither hot nor cold but lukewarm. In that city famed for its textile industry, Jesus said they were naked and should buy garments from him. In that city with its famous medical center, Jesus said they were blind and should buy ointment from him to smear their eyes in order to see. So the city that thought it had everything, had everything except Jesus and Jesus encouraged them to turn to him. That was not the only time Jesus complained about people being lukewarm. Jesus spoke to St. Faustina about people being lukewarm. In her diary we read these words from Jesus: “These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: “Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.” For them, the last hope of salvation is to flee to My mercy. (Diary of St. Faustina §1228)
You witnessing Jesus, being salt and light to those who are lukewarm, is very important to Jesus. During his agony in Gethsemane, Jesus asked Peter, James, and John, “remain here and keep watch with me.” (Matt 26:38) By praying, and in these times especially praying rosaries for peace, and being salt and light, we remain with Jesus during his agony in Gethsemane when he wants to cry out, “Father take this cup away from me.” Praying, and being with Jesus by being his salt and light, we can be his consolation. Again the words of Jesus to St. Faustina about devout and faithful people, “These souls brought me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness.” (Diary of St. Faustina §1214) We do that by being his salt and light.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2023
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
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