5TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

4^TH /5^TH FEBRUARY 2023

Dear Parishioners,

This Sunday’s readings, both the first reading from Isaiah 58, and Psalm 111, as well as Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the mount (last Sunday’s Gospel), use many images that are familiar to all of us, the light dawning, shining out in the darkness, and something as familiar as the salt we put on our food. The meanings of these images are not difficult to understand. The light of dawn could be a hope that gradually grows making us see things differently, a new beginning, having clarity and answers for the questions and challenges in our lives. The salt in the food is quite important! Without salt the food tastes bland, also salt was very important as a way to preserve food (many will remember the days of salted fish and meat). These are parables that we can easily relate to our lives.

Then I was wondering, what is God trying to tell us? Why does He use these images that are so familiar to us? And it made me think of the Eucharistic Bread; simple, small, accessible to everyone.

What is God trying to say?

There is a very beautiful message here. God wants to be understandable to us, accessible, close, speaking our same language in a way that makes sense to us.

Sometimes we think of God as far away, too mysterious, inaccessible, somehow too important to have time for our day to day lives. It is true that God is beyond our understanding, but God is a mystery of Love who desires to share our lives moment by moment. We have a God who wants to be with and within us, not far, not inaccessible.

When we discover God so close, we discover our faith as the salt of our lives, giving meaning and flavour. Then when situations turn tasteless, difficult, He is our salt, who helps us to keep going with hope.

I’d like to invite you to think of an experience where God has been your salt, your light. I think when we do this, the Gospel makes more sense for us and therefore we can help others to identify God within their own lives, in their own situations. We can say to others, ‘this is how Jesus has been my salt, my light’, and so God’s salt and light will reach them through me.

Have a good week,

Anabel Gonzalez, FMVD